


Not Ready To Make Nice

by kayandkimsmom1



Category: The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
Genre: Established Relationship, F/F, Family, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-19
Updated: 2014-08-21
Packaged: 2018-02-13 21:58:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 59,366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2166654
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kayandkimsmom1/pseuds/kayandkimsmom1
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Andy isn't ready to make nice.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> First of all, this is my first DWP fanfic. I usually stick with L&O:SVU, but this pairing intrigued me and I wanted to try something new. Secondly, I played around with the ages of the main characters. I know Miranda is usually written as 50 to 50 plus years old when she first meets Andy and the twins 10, but in this story Miranda will be around 46, Andy will be 26, and the twins are 8. Thirdly, I can't write sex scenes well, so I don't. Flashbacks will be in italics. All mistakes are mine. If you like this let me know. If you don't, your constructive criticism is appreciated.

"Forgive, sounds good.

Forget, I'm not sure I could

They say time heals everything

But I'm still waiting…" (Dixie Chicks)

 

Chapter 1

 

The incessant ringing of the phone pulled Miranda out of her pleasant slumber. She growled in frustration from beneath the cloud-like downy comforter. A quick glance at the alarm clock told her that she had only been asleep for about two hours, two very glorious much needed hours of rest. This would be the first real sleep Miranda had gotten in nearly a week.

Due to an unfortunate mix-up with the printers, Miranda had nearly missed the most significant print deadline of her career. This would be her last issue as Editor-in-Chief of RUNWAY Magazine before she assumed her position as the new Chair of Elias-Clarke. The entire senior staff had worked tirelessly for her. They all knew this issue would be culmination of all the blood, sweat, and tears Miranda had put into RUNWAY for over two decades. No one wanted to let their fearless leader down; some working grueling eighteen hour shifts for the past six days in a row to pull off the impossible. In complete Miranda Priestly fashion, she had managed to do just that. Her final issue would hit the stands on time next month and it was as immaculate as ever. However, that concluding work of perfection had definitely come at a hefty price; to say that Miranda Priestly was exhausted would be the understatement of the year.

Without even glancing at the caller ID, she snatched the phone up as if it was a hated enemy and answered in her most menacing ice-cold tone.

"What?"

"Uh… Miranda? Is that you?"

Miranda rolled her eyes and tried not to snarl. "Pray tell, who else would be answering my phone if not me? Who is this and what do you want?"

"Miranda, it's me, Audrey. I apologize. I obviously woke you. I didn't think you would be asleep so early." The equally cool voice on the other end responded.

Miranda immediately calmed a little at the familiar voice. "Audrey, yes. What can I do for you? If you're looking for Andrea, she's not home. She had a speaking engagement at NYU this evening followed by a banquet."

"I know. She told me about it when we last spoke yesterday."

Miranda reached over and switched on the bedside lamp trying to make sense of the confusing turn in the conversation. "If you were aware of this Audrey, why are you calling?"

"I didn't call to speak with Andy, Miranda. I called to talk to you." The voice paused and sighed. "Something has happened and I think Andy would handle the… news better if she heard it from you."

Miranda was suddenly completely awake and alert as she sat up in bed. She swallowed hard against the uneasy fluttering in her stomach. "Audrey… what is going on?"

"Miranda, Richard had a heart attack today."

Miranda took a deep breath and released it slowly. "Is he alright?"

"No. He didn't make it."

"I'm very sorry for your loss." Miranda said softly. Although Audrey and Richard Sachs had been divorced for some time, Miranda knew the woman still cared deeply for the man. "This must be very difficult for you."

"Yes. It's a bit surreal to say the least."

Miranda's thoughts immediately shifted to her wife and how she would handle this. It was no secret that there was no love lost between Miranda and Richard Sachs, but the man was still her wife's father. "Is there anything I can do?"

"I just need you to inform Andy and be there for her. She's strong and fiercely independent, but you and I both know the kind of history those two had and what this could do to her. I need you to promise me that you will take care of my little girl, Miranda." Audrey said quietly.

Miranda unconsciously ran her thumb over the back of the diamond band on her left hand. "Always."

"Good. I'll call with more details tomorrow."

Hearing the line go dead, Miranda mindlessly placed the phone back on the nightstand. "Oh, Andrea…"

TBC…


	2. Chapter 2

 

Miranda paced the length of the entire living room for the twentieth time still clutching her cell phone in her hand. She had sent a text to Andy asking her to skip the banquet and return home as soon as possible. She felt guilt weighing on her chest for deceiving her wife moments before. They'd made a vow to never mislead or lie to one another about anything major and she had never broken that vow… until tonight. When Andy texted back asking if something was wrong, Miranda's response was a simple no and that she just needed Andrea home. It wasn't a complete lie, Miranda reasoned. She did need Andy; she simply didn't want to give such troubling news to her wife via cell phone. That just would not do.

As she waited, she wandered over to the wide fireplace across the room. A plethora of framed photos rested along the mantel. Most were candid snapshots of the kids with Miranda and Andy over the years, as well as a few extended family members and friends sprinkled throughout. The focal point was of course, the large black and white portrait of her and Andy that hung on the wall above the mantle. It was taken on their wedding day. The photographer had caught them in a private moment; their foreheads touching as they gazed lovingly into each other's eyes. It was Miranda's favorite photo of them together.

The newest addition to the mantle was their son's most recent soccer picture. Miranda ran her fingers over the image, her heart instantly warming at the thick mop of brown curls and wide eyes of the smiling eight year old boy staring back at her. Alexander Paine Sachs-Priestly was the near mirror image of her wife. He was their little miracle in more ways than one. _'Thank god he's at a sleepover tonight.'_ Miranda thought to herself.

Her cell phone vibrated in her hand again.

_'_ _Be home soon. U better be ready for me. Luv u.' -A_

Despite the circumstances, Miranda almost smiled. It was still an altogether surprising situation she found herself in. If someone had told her years ago that she would end up happily married to not only a woman, but to her wayward former second assistant who was twenty years her junior, she would have laughed them out of the city. Yet, here they were over a decade later and still together. For this fact alone, the tabloids were still enthralled by them. The Ice Queen had finally managed to have a lasting relationship. Her marriage to Andrea had lasted longer than her previous two combined. Who would have ever guessed that the 'smart, fat girl' she hired on a whim years ago would alter her life forever. Her eyes twinkled and she smiled wistfully as the image of a familiar grin flashed in her mind. It reminded her of the first time she realized she felt more than she should for Andrea Sachs.

 

_-Flashback: 14 years earlier_

_Andy stepped off the elevator balancing Miranda's lunch order from Smiths & Wollensky as well as the skirts and scarves she had picked up from Saks 5_ _th_ _Avenue. After working at RUNWAY for nearly six months, she had gotten used to the organized chaos… or so she thought. She paused and watched with a raised brow as Emily started her 'I love my job' mantra while typing furiously on her computer. Serena walked by speaking frantically in what Andy assumed was Portuguese. Jocelyn was sobbing as she headed back down the hallway and an extremely pale looking Nigel didn't even lift his eyes as he used his silk handkerchief to wipe his sweaty brow._

_Andy glanced at her watch. She knew she had only been gone for half an hour, but she knew better than anyone the wrath of destruction Miranda Priestly could leave in her wake in that limited amount of time. What surprised Andy, however, was the fact that her boss had clearly been in a good mood (a good mood for Miranda that is) that morning. She had even mumbled a soft thank you when Andy delivered a center-of-the-sun hot coffee to her desk before she even had the chance to demand it. Andy knew the only thing that would put her boss in that awful of a mood was a terrible run-through that had completely wasted her valuable time or… her ex-husband._

_"_ _Andrea?"_

_Andy's head snapped up at the soft icy voice that floated out into the outer office._

_"_ _Is there a reason why you are holding my lunch hostage? Is fetching my meal and delivering it in a reasonable amount of time beyond your level of competence? Am I reaching for the stars here?"_

_Andy bit her lip and ignored the smirk Emily was throwing her way. She walked briskly into the dragon's lair. "Sorry Miranda. I have it right here."_

_Miranda raised a brow. "Well, am I to wrestle it from your hands or do you plan to allow me eat today?"_

_Andy shook her head slightly and quickly went about preparing Miranda's lunch on her signature plate and setting out the utensils._

_Out of nowhere, Miranda began to talk which had happened more and more lately. She would have these often one-sided conversations with Andy at random times when they were alone. It was obvious that Andy wasn't meant to respond. It was like the older woman just needed a sounding board to expel her anger. It never happened with anyone else, not even Nigel. Andy had checked. Nope, this only happened with Andy and something about that knowledge made Andy happy._

_"_ _I cannot believe him! How dare he disappoint my girls like this? I truly believe I must have been high on narcotics or at the very least seriously intoxicated on our wedding day."_

_Okay, this was definitely about the ex-husband, Andy thought._

_"_ _That would be the only plausible excuse for marrying a complete and utter idiot. Not to mention, spineless. The bastard doesn't even have the courage to tell them himself."_

_The twin's father was definitely the culprit. Andy mentally rolled her eyes. Seventy-five percent of the time, James VanHousen was harmless, but there was the other twenty-five percent when he could be a bona fide pain in the ass. He would frequently cancel plans with the twins at the last-minute then unceremoniously demand to cart them out for a photo-op when he was running for some public office or another which drove Miranda crazy thus making their lives at RUNWAY a nightmare. Andy continued preparing Miranda's lunch while Miranda finished up her rant expelling the last of her anger until she was calm again._

_"_ _You will need to cancel my three o'clock meeting and have Roy waiting to take me to Dalton. I will speak with the girls and clean up his mess once again."_

_After pouring the chilled Pellegrino into a glass, Andy stepped away and looked Miranda in the eyes. She really did feel bad for Miranda at times like these. The press could say a lot of things about her boss, but there would be no doubt that she was a good parent if they saw how protective the woman was about her children._

_"_ _Is there anything else I can do for you, Miranda?"_

_Miranda blinked at the sincerity staring back at her. It was a little unnerving. "That's all."_

_Andy made her way towards the door preparing to leave her boss in peace when that cool voice stopped her again._

_"_ _Andrea."_

_Andy paused at the door and slowly turned, smile firmly in place. "Yes, Miranda."_

_"_ _Is there a reason why I'm not having steak? I don't recall asking for this."_

_"_ _Umm… yes. Remember your doctor said last week at your appointment that… that you needed to cut back on the red meat. So I got you the salmon you like instead."_

_"_ _**You** _ _? You took it upon yourself to decide for_ _**me** _ _?" Miranda's asked in a very quiet tone._

_Andy swallowed hard. She knew the quieter that Miranda spoke, the more deadly her bite._

_"_ _Yes."_

_"_ _You? My second assistant? What on earth gave_ _**you** _ _the right to choose anything for me?" Miranda continued rounding the desk, her anger rearing its head again._

_Andy took a tentative step back. "Umm… your… your daughters."_

_"_ _Excuse me?" Miranda's eyes narrowed and her lips pursed._

_Andy knew she was at Def-Con 5 and needed to handle the situation very carefully._

_"_ _Yes, your daughters."_

_"_ _What could my daughters possibly have to do with my lunch, Andrea?"_

_Andy stood up straight and squared her shoulders. "They asked me to make sure you were eating properly." Andy managed to say without stuttering. She didn't know where her little bout of bravery came from but she was going to use it. "I know you're not going to like this, but… the twins sometimes come down to talk to me when I deliver the Book."_

_Andy tried to ignore the storm brewing in those icy blue eyes._

_"_ _You speak to my daughters?" Miranda asked crossing her arms._

_"_ _Yes. It would be impolite of me to ignore them. As I was saying, they talk to me. They usually just ask me about you and how your day went."_

_She noticed Miranda seemed to calm slightly. Maybe she wouldn't be fired after all._

_"_ _They're really great kids and they love and worry about you, Miranda. They just want to make sure that you're okay. So yes, I promised them that I would take care of you when they couldn't and I happen to take my promises very seriously. Thus… why you are having salmon and vegetables for lunch today."_

_Miranda didn't know what to make of this little display from her assistant. Running a finger over her bottom lip, she eyed Andy closely. It was very rare to have someone challenge her. She found the experience both annoying and invigorating. She wouldn't dare admit that she was a little touched by the concern as well. She was not ready to admit to that yet. She sent her most scathing glare in the girl's direction only to see the brunette smile confidently and blink her impossibly large doe eyes back at her._

_Miranda swallowed and merely nodded. "Very well. I expect you will present me with these alternate options for lunch immediately. Tell Nigel that we will leave for the Galliano preview at one. That's all."_

_"_ _Of course, Miranda. Enjoy your lunch." Andy said flashing a grin as she turned to leave._

_And there it was… that damn grin. If Miranda were honest, that was the beginning of her downfall. That cocky little grin had invaded her thoughts at the most inopportune times. It was sexy and damn near erotic and it made the usually unflappable Miranda Priestly a little weak in the knees. It was only when Miranda caught a reflection of herself in the mirror next to her desk that she realized she was blushing. She couldn't believe it. Miranda Priestly did not blush! Miranda suddenly had a sinking feeling that something had just shifted between them and she wasn't sure that was a good thing._

 

The sound of the front door opening and closing shook her out of the memory. Taking a deep breath, she turned just as Andy strolled in. Miranda's lips curled into a near smile. Damn, she loved to watch that woman walk into a room. The years had only made Andrea more beautiful, even if the brunette had no clue how stunning she was to others. Andy had grown into her own as a woman both physically and professionally. Now, one of the most sought after freelance writers around and an award-winning author with several New York Times best-selling titles under her belt, Andy had taken on a more confident persona while still managing to remain humble. Miranda was immensely proud and intoxicated by Andy's success and it didn't hurt that brunette still had that fabulous size four physique. Miranda unconsciously felt her body respond and she quickly pushed those swirling emotions aside. Now was not the time for such thoughts.

"Hey babe. Miss me?" Andy asked slipping off her heels.

"Of course." Miranda said softly. Her Andrea was the only lover she had ever allowed to call her pet names.

"I have to admit your text sort of surprised me." The brunette said removing her blazer as she made her way across the room. "I was sure you'd be too exhausted after the week you've had, but I am… so…so glad you called. I've missed you, baby."

Andy licked her lips as she slipped her arms around Miranda's slender waist and pulled her close. The kiss that followed was so passionate; Miranda nearly forgot her own name. She moaned at the feel of Andy's toned body against her own. She knew these arms had been made to hold her. Knowing how easily a simple kiss between them could quickly lead to something more, she had to remind herself to stay focused. She pulled back and used her hand to gently push against Andy's chest.

Andy smiled that impish grin Miranda loved so much and raised a brow. "You're not really going to play hard to get with me tonight are you?"

"Darling, we have to talk."

"Uh… you wanna talk… now?" Andy pouted. Miranda fought the urge to kiss it away.

"You know, I could think of a much better use of my lips and I _know_ you'll like it." Andy whispered as she searched for the sensitive spot near Miranda's ear only to be pushed away. She let out a low growl.

"Andrea, darling…. It's important."

Andy saw the serious look in Miranda's eyes and took a step back. "What's wrong?"

Miranda took Andy by the hand and led her to the sofa. She caressed her fingers gently, unconsciously running her fingers over the matching diamond band on Andy's ring finger.

Adept at reading her wife's moods, Andy knew something was amiss. "Miranda, you're scaring me a little. What's going on? Is it Alex or the girls?"

Miranda shook her head. "I'm sorry, darling. The kids are fine."

"Then what is it?"

"Sweetheart, your mother called earlier. She said…" Miranda paused to swallow the bile rising in her throat as she looked into those big trusting eyes. She wanted to curse Richard Sachs for making her have to do this. "She said that… your father had a heart attack. Darling, I'm sorry… but he didn't make it."

Miranda sat holding her hand waiting for the outpouring of grief that she was sure to come. They sat in complete silence for long minutes until Andy finally cleared her throat and finally spoke.

"When?" She asked calmly.

"I'm not sure. Your mother just said it happened earlier today. Our call was brief."

"How was she?"

"She seemed... alright, but somber of course."

"Did she say if I needed to make any calls or do anything? I should probably help her with…"

Miranda reached out and stopped Andy before she stood. "No. She said she would call back with more details tomorrow morning. There's nothing to be done tonight, Andrea."

"Oh… okay." Andy nodded slowly and stood. "Well then… we should get some rest. I imagine the next few days will be… busy."

Miranda felt Andy pulling her from the sofa. She followed; extremely troubled by her wife's aloofness. Andy had been estranged from her father for some time now so Miranda expected her wife to be conflicted, but she had at the very least expected Andy to show _some_ emotion. This was so unlike her Andrea.

Once upstairs, Miranda sat on the side of the bed and watched Andy undressing and going through her nightly rituals just as usual as if nothing was wrong.

"When is Alex coming home?" Andy suddenly asked.

"I called and spoke with Douglas. He's going to drive him home first thing in the morning. I didn't think there was a need to drag him home tonight. I thought we could wait to speak with him tomorrow."

Andy nodded in agreement as she slipped into bed. "No, you're right. Alex has been talking about his 'guys only weekend' with his Uncle Doug for weeks now. I'm glad you didn't disturb him."

Once Andy had joined her, Miranda switched off the bedside lamp. Andy stared absently at the ceiling trying to think of anything other than her father, but her psyche kept betraying her. Her mind started drifting over her childhood years and how she had adored her father. Richard Sachs had always been her hero… that is until he wasn't. She also recalled the later years and how the man she had once idolized had turned his back on her because of who she had chosen to love. His rejection had nearly devastated her. Sleep eluded her as bits and pieces of their last words to each other replayed in her head like a broken record.

 

_'_ _Don't you see, Andy? This was all God's plan. It was a blessing in disguise. You can still have the life you were meant to have.'_

_'_ _How dare you! This was no blessing and no plan of God's."_

_"_ _You can come back home and your family will help you through this"_

_"_ _I want you to leave… I never want to see you again!'_

 

Miranda turned and watched her wife worriedly. She laid her hand on Andy's stomach causing the younger woman to blink out of her thoughts. Finally Andy turned on her side and faced Miranda. They lay there staring into each other's eyes through the dimness of the room. Miranda could see a lifetime of memories flashing in those big brown eyes. After a long moment, Miranda simply opened her arms and Andy shifted into them.

Miranda held her close, gently running her fingers through the long brown tresses. The silence of the room engulfed them; only the sounds of their gentle breathing could be heard. Andy moved her head down to Miranda's chest allowing the steady beating of her love's heart begin to lull her to sleep. Just as Miranda was about to drift off she heard Andy's soft voice.

"Miranda?"

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"My dad died." Andy whispered.

"I know, darling. I know."

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

Miranda and Andy were up early the following morning. Neither had gotten much sleep. Andy had obviously been restless most of the night which meant Miranda was restless as well. The entire situation irritated Miranda to no end. Knowing her beloved Andrea was in pain and there was little she could do to alleviate it tore at Miranda's soul. Her protective instinct was to step in, snap her fingers and make things better but this wasn't something that could be fixed by making a phone call of terrorizing an opponent. Death was the opponent and it always had the last word. As she sat beside her wife on their bed, she couldn't help allowing her mind to drift back to a time when she was in a similar situation. The only difference was it was her mother that had passed and Andy was the one sitting at her side.

 

_Flashback: 14 Years Ago-_

_The offices of RUNWAY were silent as Miranda made her way through the halls. It was just as she had expected; the offices were always deserted on Sundays. She knew there was really no reason for her to be there either. Miranda just didn't want to go home; she had just buried her mother after all. The girls had been sent to spend the week with their father and she just couldn't deal with Stephen at the moment. He was drinking more frequently these days and Miranda was finding him altogether useless. What Miranda really needed was a distraction. She needed anything to keep her mind off of her mother. It wasn't as though Miranda was mourning a great loss. Sophia Princhek was not what one would consider a good mother. To be honest, there was little between Miranda and her mother except disdain. Thinking of her mother often made Miranda feel inferior, constantly questioning her own abilities as a mother. It made her sad._

_The general public knew very little about Miranda's past; she made sure of it. The truth was Miranda's father had died when she was only ten, leaving Sophia Princhek with a child she had never really wanted in the first place. Miranda, or Miriam as she was known then, was reminded of that very fact every single day for eight more years until she had packed her meager belongings and made her way out into the world alone. It wasn't until years later when Miriam Princhek had transformed into Miranda Priestly that the two ever became re-acquainted. Miranda knew the more famous she became the more interesting her past would become to the press. To ensure that her new image remained intact, all loose ends had to be tied. That was the sole reason Sophia found herself moved into a luxurious home in London along with more than enough money to provide for her needs, wants, and most importantly… silence. As the years progressed, the two made very little headway in their relationship; eventually becoming what Miranda would call acquaintances. Once Sophia's health began to deteriorate, Miranda brought her to the U.S. and moved to an upscale retirement community in upstate New York. That is where Sophia had spent her last days. Miranda had rarely visited and Sophia hadn't asked her to._

_Miranda made her way into her office and hung her own coat and placed her bag in the chair by her desk. She smirked as she thought how Emily would react if she had witnessed her performing the simple task. She could just envision her long-suffering assistant gulping like a fish while Andrea slyly looked at Emily as if she were an idiot. The thought of Andrea brought a genuine smile to her face without her even realizing it. Although she would never admit it, she was rather fond of the girl. She enjoyed seeing the different sides of Andrea. It wasn't always obvious to everyone, but Miranda was known for noticing the details._

_Everyone looked at Andy and saw the 'aw-shucks' sweet and naïve girl from Ohio, but Miranda knew there was more to her. Andrea had a devious side. She had seen the cold glare Andy threw at the clackers when they had been incompetent. It wasn't quite as effective as Miranda's, but it was still rather impressive. She also enjoyed Andy's startling intelligence and wicked sense of humor. Miranda had overheard her on the phone dealing with the drama queen designers and narcissistic executives constantly demanding Miranda's time. She had almost felt sorry for the person on the receiving end of those calls…almost. The girl really did have a way with words. She was simply a walking contradiction._

_Shaking those thoughts away, she took a seat at her desk and began reading over a few notes left over from Friday's photo shoot. She worked diligently until a sound interrupted her thought process. She frowned with annoyance. Who could possibly be in the office on a Sunday afternoon, other than herself that is? She got her answer when she caught a glimpse of Andy taking a seat at her desk._

_"_ _Andrea."_

_A few seconds passed before Andy appeared in the doorway. "Yes Miranda?" She asked as if it were perfectly normal to be there today._

_"_ _What are you doing here?"_

_"_ _Oh, I um… I'm just trying to get a jump-start on a few things for the upcoming week. You know, just trying to be prepared."_

_Miranda's eyes were like lasers and Andy felt like a skewered shrimp. Andy couldn't meet her eyes which meant one thing. "You're lying."_

_Andy swallowed hard and laughed nervously. "I'm not lying. I…"_

_"_ _Andrea." Miranda said giving her the brow._

_Andy's shoulders slumped. "Ok. I'm lying."_

_"_ _Why are you here, Andrea?"_

_"_ _Because I knew you'd be here." Andy said confidently._

_Miranda was again taken by surprise at this side of her young assistant. She was constantly changing. Just a moment ago, she appeared nervous and shy, now she was looking Miranda in the eye without flinching._

_Miranda simply tilted her head and waited for an explanation. Andy came further into the office and took a seat in one of the chairs in front of Miranda's desk without an invitation._

_"_ _I know about your mother and I know we're not supposed to talk about it. There is some 'Miranda Rule' somewhere on a list that states no one should comment or even acknowledge that you have feelings at all. Now, I'm sure I might be committing career suicide by doing this, but I don't care. I think the fact that you just lost your mother should be acknowledged and I don't think you should be alone right now."_

_"_ _You are correct. You are committing career suicide." Miranda said icily._

_Andy didn't seem fazed by it. Miranda knew she was going to have to seriously work on her intimidation tactics. Since the whole 'Harry Potter' incident, the silly girl didn't seem to be all that afraid of her anymore._

_"_ _Maybe, but… I keep thinking if my mother died, I know I wouldn't want to be alone. I would want to have a friend with me… even if it was just to sit with me."_

_"_ _I'm sure the relationship you have with your mother is starkly different from the relationship I shared with mine." Miranda said before she even knew it. Discussing her life was not something she did… ever._

_"_ _Maybe, I don't know. What I do know is she was your mother and she died. I'm very sorry for your loss, Miranda. You deserve to hear that." Andy said shrugging her shoulders. "I'll go if that's what you really want or I could stay and keep you company… if you like."_

_Miranda eyed Andy suspiciously for a moment trying to gauge her true intentions. The only thing she saw was complete sincerity staring back at her. It was a bit unnerving._

_"_ _If you'd like to work on your day off, who am I to stop you?" Miranda said turning back to the files on her desk._

_Andy nodded. "Okay then. I'll be at my desk if you need anything."_

_Miranda didn't acknowledge her as she returned to her desk. Once alone in her office, Miranda looked up from her work and stared at the young woman now sitting at her desk. She could see the reflection of Andrea's computer screen in the glass wall behind her. The girl was playing solitaire. She should have been angry, but she wasn't. A warm sensation settled in the pit of Miranda's stomach when she realized that Andy really had no reason to be here today. There was no work to catch up on or complete early. The silly girl had simply come to the office to offer Miranda support. It was probably the nicest thing anyone had done for her in years. Miranda caught herself trying not to smile as she went back to work. She knew she was definitely in trouble now._

 

Miranda's thoughts came back to the present as she sat patiently on the bed next to Andy. She placed a gentle hand on her wife's back as Andy spoke with her mother and various other family members. After the necessary calls had been made, Miranda kissed Andy on the cheek and ushered her off to shower.

Needing to feel more useful, Miranda headed downstairs to prepare breakfast in hopes of getting her wife to eat. She was putting the finishing touches on their meal when she heard the front door opening. She knew it was her son returning home from his stay with his uncle. She had placed the last of the pancakes on the table when Alex rounded the corner with Doug trailing not far behind. Miranda couldn't help but smile in wonder when she saw her precious boy. He was the apple of her eye. With a head full of unruly dark brown curls, full mouth, and striking blue eyes, he was truly a beautiful boy. Her smile went away when she saw him dropping his grungy backpack in the corner.

Miranda raised a brow. "I assume you will be putting that in its proper place after breakfast, correct?"

Alex grinned as he trotted over to hug her. "Morning Mom and yes, I'll put my bag away."

She chuckled at his new title for her. When he turned eight earlier in the year, he promptly informed his mothers that he was too old to call them Mommy anymore and that the term mother was too stuffy. So, he started calling Andy Moms just as the twins did and Miranda became Mom.

She returned his hug and kissed the top of his head mentally noting how tall he was getting. "Good morning to you as well, Alexander. Did you have a good time with your Uncle Douglas?"

"Yeah…"

"Excuse me."

"I meant, yes. I had fun. Uncle Doug has that new gaming and video system I told you guys about. It was totally cool."

Miranda chuckled at his enthusiasm as she made her way over to Doug for a hug. Doug was one of the few people Miranda genuinely embraced and meant it. He was Andrea's dearest friend and their son's godfather. "Good morning, Douglass. I hope he wasn't too much trouble."

Doug grinned. "Are you kidding? You know Alex and I always have a blast together."

"Yeah, Uncle Doug is awesome."

"Undoubtedly because he allows you to do whatever you want." Miranda said sending a mock glare Doug's way.

Doug pretended to be offended. "I'll have you know that I am the shining example of a role model, lady."

They all laughed at the ridiculousness of the statement. Everyone knew that Doug was a total pushover for his favorite nephew.

"Will you be staying for breakfast, Douglas? We'd love to have you." Miranda asked placing a plate of turkey bacon on the table.

Alex reached over and attempted to snag a piece only to have his hand tapped. He quickly moved his hand back.

"You know the drill, young man. Go wash your hands then we will sit down at the table like civilized human beings. As a matter of fact, why don't you go ahead and put your bag away, then wash your hands."

"But Mom!" He whined. "I just showered at Uncle Doug's and I'm starving."

Miranda simply lifted a brow in response.

Alex held up his hands playfully. "Whoa, you don't have to give me the 'death brow'. I'm going, I'm going."

Miranda and Doug both suppressed the laugh threatening to escape. Miranda shook her head. Her son was quite precocious for his age. He reminded her so much of her wife at times with his easy charm and sense of humor.

"I wish I could, but I got a call from my boss on the way over. There are some problems with one of the major mergers I've been working on. I'm actually about to head into the office now." He lowered his voice as he kept an eye on Alex until the boy had left the room. "By the looks of things, I probably won't be able to fly out for the service. That's why I wanted to come in and talk to Andy. How is she holding up?"

Miranda sighed and shook her head. "She's very… together about the whole thing. She hasn't said much."

Doug nodded. "I hate it when she gets quiet like that."

"Mmm… as do. I worry about her."

Doug just nodded.

"Why don't you go on up and talk with her? I'm sure she'd love to see you."

"I think I will. Thanks."

He leaned in and gave Miranda another peck on the cheek. "Please give me a call if you guys need anything or…" He trailed off at a loss of what to say.

Miranda cupped his cheek gently and smiled. "Of course. Thank you, Douglas."

Several minutes later, Alex bounced back into the kitchen with his hands freshly washed. He took a seat at the table and noticed the three place settings. "Where's Moms?"

"I'm right here." Andy said walking into the kitchen. She gave him a quick kiss on the head before taking her seat between them. "Hey bud. Your Uncle Doug had to leave. He told me to tell you he'd call you tomorrow. So, did you guys have fun on you 'guys only' weekend?"

"Yes. It was awesome! Uncle Doug's new game system is so much fun. Can I have one, pleeeaaase!"

Andy and Miranda glanced at each other fondly and smirked knowing they'd already purchased one for him. He was a straight A student and he stayed out of trouble. They saw no reason not to reward him for it.

"Just like the last time you asked, Mom and I will discuss it and let you know." Andy said ruffling his hair.

"Okay." He mumbled over his eggs.

Miranda gave Andy a good once over. She could see the beginnings of dark circles underneath her eyes. She had tossed and turned most of the night and was up before dawn. Andy caught her looking and they both glanced at their son silently communicating with their eyes. Andy cleared her throat and pushed her plate away.

"Umm… listen Alex… Mom and I need to talk to you about something."

Alex sensed the change in the tone of his mother's voice. He placed his fork down and gave her his complete attention.

Andy took his hand. "You're going to have to miss your soccer game this week. We will be taking a trip to Ohio for a few days."

"Oh." He said with a little disappointment. He hated having to miss a game, but taking a trip with his mothers could be fun. "Are we going to visit, Grandma A?"

"Yes, but not just for a regular visit. Do you remember I told you about my father, Richard?"

Alex nodded unsure why his mother was talking about her dad. She never talked about him.

"Well… he died yesterday."

"Your dad died?"

Andy nodded. "Yes, he did."

"Are you sad, Moms?"

Andy paused and glanced at Miranda before turning her gaze out the large window into the back yard. She and Miranda were always as truthful as possible with their kids. This was no different. "I know this may be hard to understand, but I honestly don't know how I feel right now, Alex."

Alex blinked and looked at Miranda. He had never met his grandfather because his mothers didn't get along with him. He had overheard his older sisters talking about him a few times. Alex knew the man had been mean to his mothers so he didn't really know what he should say or do. Getting nod from Miranda, he stood and hugged Andy tightly around the neck.

"It's okay to be sad if you want to, Moms. Even if he wasn't always nice, he was still your dad right?"

Andy tightened her hold on her son and kissed his cheek. "You're right. Thank you, sweetheart. I love you, bud."

"I love you too, Moms."

Their longtime housekeeper, Louisa, came in holding the phone. "Excuse me, but there is a call for you, Miss Andy."

Andy sighed and stood. "Thanks Louisa. I'll take it upstairs."

Miranda watched her wife make her way up the back stairway before turning her attention back to their housekeeper.

"Louisa, as you know we will be traveling to Ohio to attend the funeral of Andrea's father. We will be away for three or four days, possibly longer. You may take the next few days off if you wish."

The older Latina glared at Miranda and shook her head with urgency. "No. No. I will be here as I am every day. You insist on living in this huge place. It does not clean itself."

Miranda hid her smile behind her coffee cup. Louisa Lopez had been with her for over twenty years. She was much more than just a housekeeper. Louisa had been there when she brought the twins home from the hospital. She had nursed Miranda's broken heart through two divorces and countless personal and professional disappointments. Louisa Lopez was the closest thing Miranda had ever had to a mother figure and she adored her.

"I'm sure the place will not fall to shambles if you are away a few days, Louisa. Didn't you say that your granddaughter was in town visiting?" Miranda asked raising a brow.

Louisa put her hands on her plump little hips. "Are you trying to get rid of me, Miranda Priestly?"

Miranda's eyes widened a little. "Of course not. I wouldn't know what to do without you."

"This is true." Louisa nodded once with finality. "No. I will see my granddaughter after I finish my day here. You run your big magazine and take over Elias-Clarke. You want to do my job now too?"

Miranda could hear Alex chuckling behind her. She rolled her eyes. "I would not dare, Louisa. There is only one boss in this house. We all know who holds that title."

Louisa narrowed her eyes at Miranda and sucked her teeth. "You do not fool me with your kind words, so stop it. And for god sake, feed my boy more eggs. He looks hungry. I will come back when you are finished and clean the mess you have made of my kitchen."

Miranda smirked. "Thank you, Louisa."

"I do not know why I put up with you all these years, Miranda Priestly."

"We love you too, Louisa." Miranda said with a chuckle.

Alex laughed as he watched the interaction between Louisa and his mom. Louisa and Miranda had a unique relationship. They were both prickly on the outside, but complete softies on the inside. They were funny together too.

A comfortable silence settled between them as they went back to their breakfast. Miranda obediently placed more eggs on her son's plate.

"Mom?" Alex said finally breaking the silence.

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"Why did her dad not like us?"

Miranda cursed the gods for having such an inquisitive son. "Well… I don't think he disliked us. He really didn't know us. I do know for a fact that he loved your mother very much which means that he loved you too because you are a part of her."

"But he never talked to Moms… or us."

Miranda sighed. "Sometimes as parents we love our children so much that we want to protect them from making mistakes or from anything we think might cause them harm. We sometimes think we know what's best for our children… even when we are wrong."

Alex frowned. "What did he think Moms was doing wrong?"

Miranda was at a loss how to answer.

"He thought I was wrong for loving your mom."

Two sets of blue eyes swung over to see Andy leaning casually in the doorway. She held the phone up and wiggled it in Miranda's direction. "The girls rang just as I finished my call. They're making travel plans as we speak even though I tried to talk them out of it. I thought you'd like to say hello."

Miranda ran a hand over her son's head as she moved over to take the phone. She and Andy shared a meaningful look as she passed. Andy returned her gaze to her son and knew it was time to have a conversation with him.

"To answer your question, my dad didn't think me being involved with your mother was a good idea."

"Why? You love Mom."

Andy nodded. "Yes, I do and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that."

"Was it because Mom is a girl too?" Alex asked. He was very aware that there were people in the world who believed there was something wrong with his family because he had two mothers. He simply ignored them because that was just stupid. His family was awesome.

Andy bit her lip. "Well, that was a huge part of it. My dad grew up believing that girls should marry boys and that was that. But he also thought Mom and I were not right for one another for a lot of other reasons too. He thought he knew what was best for me."

"Boy, was he wrong." Alex said rolling his eyes.

The look was completely Miranda Priestly and it made her genuinely smile for the first time all day. "Yep, he sure was."

Andy sat down at the table and propped her feet up on the adjacent chair. She leaned back with her hands behind her head. "Did I ever tell you the story of how I got Mom to go out with me?"

Alex shook his head.

"Well son, let me tell you. It wasn't easy. I had to go to some fancy party all the way in Paris to do it." She chuckled. "And I almost got myself killed in the process."

 

_-Flashback: 13 Years Ago: Paris Fashion Week After Party-_

_Cool blue eyes met brown from across the crowded room. Andy couldn't help but wince at how cliché the entire situation was. True enough, she was a hopeless romantic, but she'd always rolled her eyes at the thought of two soul mates gazing at one another from across a crowded room. Yet, here she was staring at the woman who had plagued her thoughts every single day for nearly a year. She shivered feeling those familiar eyes roaming over her borrowed Valentino pantsuit. No one could look you over like Miranda Priestly._

_After all the trouble she'd gone through to get here, it was now or never. She had seen Miranda a few times throughout the week, but hadn't crossed paths. Andy was sure Miranda knew she was there. Nothing happened at Fashion Week that Miranda wasn't aware of. She was also sure that Miranda had been deliberately avoiding her. Now with the week winding down, Andy knew she wouldn't get the chance to talk to Miranda again if she didn't do it now. Keeping her eyes on Miranda the entire time, she slowly made her way through the mingling crowd until she came to a stop a few feet away. She held her shoulders back, lifted her chin, and faced Miranda's glare full on._

_"_ _Hello Miranda."_

_Miranda ran her eyes over Andy's body once again from head to toe. Andy flushed as she always had when Miranda critiqued her attire. She smiled inwardly when it appeared the editor was pleased with her appearance._

_"_ _Andrea."_

_"_ _It's good to see you again, Miranda."_

_Miranda sniffed and glanced around the room in boredom. "Your presence here this week is certainly a surprise. Shouldn't you be running around chasing the local bake sale?"_

_Andy had expected Miranda's cool reception. "Funny. I'm actually here covering Fashion Week for 'The Mirror'."_

_"_ _Ah yes, that's the name of your little paper isn't it?"_

_Andy bit the inside of her jaw. "Yes it is which I'm sure you already knew since you did send over a recommendation for me."_

_"_ _Hmm." Miranda took the opportunity to snag a glass of champagne from a server passing by. She took a healthy sip. "I was under the assumption that you had moved on to more important things than fashion. Weren't you simply biding your time at RUNWAY in order to do so?"_

_"_ _I never said fashion wasn't important, Miranda. Although… you are right. I don't usually cover events like this. I asked my editor to send me." She gave Miranda a sly grin. "Actually, it was more like I begged to be here."_

_"_ _Begged?" Miranda eyed her closely. "You are quite the contradiction aren't you? You beg to be here now when it is not required of you, yet you run away when it is your job. I hope your current employer is aware of your tendency to leave prematurely. Since leaving is what you do best, why don't you do that now?"_

_"_ _Miranda…"_

_"_ _That's all."_

_"_ _No. That's not all. You don't get to dismiss me anymore, Miranda."_

_"_ _How dare you show your face here again?" The words came out with such venom most would have turned and ran; but Andy wasn't most people. She knew this woman better than most and she could see beyond the icy glare and harsh words. If Miranda was angry that meant that she felt something and something was better than nothing._

_"_ _I didn't leave you, Miranda. I left RUNWAY." Andy took a step closer to Miranda. "There's a big difference."_

_"_ _To leave RUNWAY is to leave me." Miranda snapped._

_"_ _See that's where you're wrong." Andy took a step closer. "Look, I had no choice."_

_"_ _I've told you before that everyone has a choice."_

_"_ _I was becoming someone I couldn't recognize anymore. I couldn't become that person."_

_Miranda raised a brow. "You mean someone like me."_

_Andy rolled her eyes. "I didn't say that, Miranda."_

_"_ _You didn't have to." Miranda finished the last of her champagne and placed the glass aside. "You said it every day with your superior attitude. You never really wanted to be a part of this. It shouldn't have been a surprise that you'd leave it so easily. You were quite the disappointment." She said turning to leave._

_"_ _Miranda, wait." Andy quickly moved in front blocking her path. Miranda turned and pinned her with a deadly glare. "Wait. You're wrong. True, I didn't really want that world, but you're wrong about the decision to leave being an easy one because it wasn't. Leaving you was the hardest decision I ever had to make and it wasn't because of some job."_

_Miranda was stunned for a moment. She could feel the eyes around the room on them. "This is over, Andrea. I do not wish to see you again." She took a breath and pasted on a fake smile on her face as if she was bidding an old friend goodbye and swept out of the room._

_Andy took a quick look around and noticed everyone had gone back to their conversations. She slowly moved in the direction Miranda had gone. By the time she had made it out to the street, there was no sight of the older woman. She frantically moved her eyes over the traffic and spotted the woman speaking into her phone. Miranda's car hadn't arrived yet so Andy knew she still had time._

_Miranda looked over her shoulder and saw the brunette heading down the stairs in her direction. She ground her teeth in frustration. "Is it too much to ask that my car be waiting for me when I require it, Emily. I don't know why this is such an impossible task." She hissed into the phone. Rolling her eyes at the response, she ended the call and stepped out onto the sidewalk to hail a taxi._

_"_ _Miranda! Miranda, don't you dare get into that damn car!" Andy yelled just as Miranda slipped inside the vehicle. "Shit!"_

_Miranda gave the driver the name of her hotel and was relieved when she felt the car begin to move forward. She sighed in relief and laid her head back against the seat and closed her eyes trying to forget a certain pair of beautiful brown eyes. She was abruptly jolted forward as the car slammed on the brakes._

_Suddenly, the driver was yelling and pointing animatedly. He was speaking so fast, the only thing Miranda could make out was crazy woman… something about a crazy woman throwing herself in front of his taxi. Miranda's eyes widened and she quickly got out. What she saw nearly made her heart stop._

_"_ _Oh my god! Andrea! Oh god, please!" Her precious Andrea was laying spread eagle in front of the car. Miranda quickly pulled up her dress and kneeled next her checking for a pulse. "You stupid, stupid girl! What were you thinking?"_

_"_ _I was trying to talk to you, lady." Andy groaned. "I should have known only you would be able to move that fast in stilettos."_

_Miranda let out a heavy sigh of relief. "You shouldn't move. You might be hurt. I'll call an ambulance."_

_Andy reached up and took the phone out of Miranda's hand. "I'm fine. He didn't actually hit me. I just got bumped and fell." She felt a throb in her hip. "Yep, that's gonna leave a bruise."_

_Andy heard Miranda mumble something about ruining a perfectly good Valentino and rolled her eyes. Of course, Miranda would be thinking about her clothes at a moment like this._

_The driver had gotten out and was yelling frantically again. Andy winced as she sat up. "Sir, I'm fine. You can calm down. I'm not hurt."_

_"_ _Andrea, I don't think he speaks English." Miranda said watching the man continue to rant._

_"_ _Well, I only speak Spanish and Italian and I don't remember much from my high school French class so…"_

_Miranda looked up at the driver and spoke to him in perfect French quickly getting him to calm down. They went back and forth for a few minutes as Andy watched the conversation with interest. She wondered what Miranda had said to the man to garner the angry look he was giving her. Knowing Miranda, she had probably told him how stupid Andy was. Finally the driver threw up his hands and returned to his car. Andy looked around and noticed that they had drawn a small crowd._

_"_ _Umm… could you help me up here? I think I'm blocking traffic."_

_"_ _I should leave you here." Miranda said with a glare, but proceeded to help the younger woman to her feet. Miranda watched her wobble a bit and slipped and arm around her waist._

_"_ _Maybe you should see a doctor just to be sure you're not injured."_

_Andy waved her off as they came to a stop back on the sidewalk. She tried not to get lost in the enticing smell of Miranda's perfume. "No, I really am fine. I'll probably be a little sore for a while though."_

_"_ _Whatever were you thinking? You could have been killed."_

_"_ _Anything would be better than what I've been feeling this past year."_

_"_ _Andrea..." Miranda said shaking her head._

_"_ _All I'm asking is for a few minutes… just to talk then you never have to see me again. Come on; let's just go for a walk."_

_Miranda appeared to be considering her options. "Are you even_ _**able** _ _to walk?"_

_"_ _I already told you. I'm fine." Andy said trying to sound convincing even though her hip was killing her._

_Reluctantly Miranda ended up walking with Andy aimlessly down the street. Neither spoke again until they came to a stop by a familiar fountain. Miranda turned and glared at her._

_"_ _What are you trying to prove, Andrea?"_

_"_ _I think it's fitting. Don't you? This is where it all went wrong." Andy took a deep breath and stepped closer. "I'm sorry, Miranda."_

_"_ _You came all this way, went through all this to say… you're sorry?" Miranda's voice was scathing. "It's obvious that your skills as a journalist are questionable if sorry is all you can come up with."_

_Andy shook her head slightly. She would have been more disappointed if she hadn't witnessed the look on Miranda's face when she thought Andy might have been hurt. "Well to be honest, I'm not actually sorry that I left."_

_"_ _This is nonsense. I'm leaving." Miranda turned on her heals and started to walk away._

_"_ _I'm not sorry that I left the job, but I am sorry for leaving you!"_

_Miranda stopped but never turned around. Andy took a few steps forward. "I've spent nearly a year trying to forget you and I can't. You're all I can think about. Then I finally realized why. I can't forget you because I never really left you."_

_Andy waited until Miranda slowly turned around. Miranda just stared at her._

_"_ _It wasn't just about what happened with Nigel. No, I didn't like what you did to him, but in all honesty I understood why you did it. I'm not that naïve about how business works. It wasn't personal."_

_"_ _Then why?" Miranda found herself asking._

_Andy shrugged and shook her head. "It was just… Everything just came to a head and it scared the hell out of me. You scared me."_

_"_ _Scared you?"_

_Andy flashed a sad smile. "Yeah. You're the best and worst thing to ever happen to me, Miranda Priestly. You're bossy, demanding, impatient, controlling, frustrating, and sometimes downright cruel."_

_Miranda's eyes grew angry. "I didn't come out here to be insulted."_

_Andy ignored her and continued to speak. "But you are also… generous, caring, and funny as hell when you want to be, not to mention brilliant, absolutely gorgeous, and criminally sexy." Andy never heard the gasp that slipped from Miranda's lips._

_"_ _That night in your room when you told me about Stephen and the divorce, all I wanted to do was just…" Andy felt her throat tighten and the tears came. She swallowed and shook them away. Now was not the time to lose it. "I saw you and you were beautifully human and…that's what scared me."_

_"_ _Why?"_

_"_ _Because I found myself wanting to see_ _**that** _ _person, be with_ _**that** _ _person… all the time… and I had to face what I had been trying to deny for so long. I felt more for you than I should have. I felt more for you than I'd ever felt for anyone else in my life."_

_Miranda stood absolutely speechless as she watched Andy struggle with her words. She wanted to say something, do something. She wanted to tell Andy that she had felt the same way; that she still did. But she found herself unable to do or say anything._

_Andy's eyes were downcast and she suddenly found her shoes extremely interesting._

_"_ _There were times when I thought that maybe…just maybe… you felt something too. You would talk to me when no one was around. In the car, we'd laugh… well, I'd laugh… at some crazy thing that happened throughout the day and you would roll your eyes in that way and I'd know you were amused. Sometimes, you would look at me and I swear to god I thought I was the only person left on earth. But then the whole thing with Nigel happened and I was afraid that you'd do that to me one day. I didn't think I could handle that so..."_

_Andy hadn't noticed that Miranda had moved back towards her until she lifted her head. She was surprised to see the editor standing only a few inches away with an unreadable expression on her face._

_"…_ _I left before you had the chance to throw me away too." Andy sighed. "I don't expect… I… I just wanted you to know why I had to leave. I needed you to know so I could move on with my life."_

_The silence between them stretched so long that Andy thought their conversation was over. She figured she'd cut her losses and just leave while she still had some dignity left. "That's all…I had to say. I'm sorry I bothered you." Head bowed, she turned to walk away._

_"_ _I would never throw you away." A few seconds passed before Miranda's soft voice filled the evening air again. "I could never…"_

_Andy froze mid step then slowly turned back around. Miranda was staring into the fountain. Andy silently waited for her to continue._

_"_ _The divorce was… difficult, but I had… expected it. They all leave eventually." Miranda said wistfully at the wave of her hand. "But contrary to what many think, I did indeed hurt. It hurt because it was yet another disappointment in a long line of many; one more person who couldn't understand me, who couldn't live with me. So yes, it hurt but not because he was the great love of my life." Her voice was soft as a whisper. "But… the possibility of losing RUNWAY was something I couldn't allow. I have poured my soul into that magazine. I could not lose that too. I_ _**AM** _ _RUNWAY… and I could not imagine that there could ever be anything more painful than having it taken away from me… but…" Miranda laughed humorlessly and shook her head searching for the right words._

_Andy still waited in silence. It wasn't often that Miranda Priestly opened up and explained her feelings. She wasn't about to interrupt something so monumental._

_"_ _As it turns out, I was wrong about that as well." Miranda looked up and finally met Andy's eyes for a brief moment. Andy was taken aback by the hurt she saw there. "Your absence from my life…was unexpected and…affected me in ways I never imagined. I could get over the loss of Stephen, even possibly my job, but not so easily you. Why is that, Andrea?"_

_"_ _I think we both know why." Andy took a step forward and lifted Miranda's chin. 'Dear God, you had better be right about this, Sachs.' Andy thought to herself.'_

_They both shivered at the touch. She saw the blue eyes were shimmering with unshed tears. Miranda sighed and leaned into the soft palm now caressing her cheek._

_"_ _I left because I couldn't have this… I couldn't have you."_

_Miranda's eyes fluttered closed as she felt Andy's soft lips gently brush over her own. The kiss was slow, gentle, and impossibly sweet. When Andy pulled away, she dropped her forehead to Miranda's._

_After a long silence, she spoke timidly. "Well, you haven't gone running and screaming through the streets; that's got to be a good sign right?"_

_To Andy's surprise, Miranda moved farther into her arms. They both let out a long sigh of relief. Andy was even more surprised when she heard Miranda's soft voice in her ear. "What is it about you that won't let me let go?"_

_Andy shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know but whatever it is, I hope I can keep it." She leaned back to look into Miranda's eye. "I hope I can keep you."_

_Miranda swallowed the lump in her throat. "You can't leave me again."_

_"_ _I'll stay as long as you'll have me."_

_Miranda lifted a hand and wiped the tears at Andy's eyes away. "I don't know what to say to all this."_

_"_ _Me either. I thought you would toss me out on my ass the minute you saw me at that party."_

_To Andy's surprise, Miranda chuckled and her eyes twinkled. It nearly took her breath away. "The thought did cross my mind."_

_"_ _But you didn't and we have time now. We can take things slow; one day at a time. If that's what you want?" Andy asked hesitantly._

_"_ _Do you even know what you're asking, Andrea? This will not be easy." Miranda said evenly._

_Andy grinned charmingly. "When has anything with Miranda Priestly ever been easy?"_

_Miranda narrowed her eyes at the gentle teasing. Andy leaned in and pecked her on the lips soothing her instantly. "But haven't I always been up for the job?"_

_"_ _Indeed."_

_"_ _So… I have one more question." Andy said shyly._

_Miranda rolled her eyes. "My god, you really have taken being a journalist to heart. What, pray tell, could you possibly have to ask now?"_

_Andy bit her lip and looked sheepishly into the intense blue eyes. "Will you have dinner with me?"_

_Surprising them both, Miranda laughed and wrapped the younger woman in her arms. "Yes dear heart. Yes."_

 

"Awesome. You actually got hit by a car, Moms?" Alex asked excitedly.

Andy rolled her eyes. "I tell you that entire story and that's all you got out of it?"

"Well, no one wants to hear about their parents kissing. That's just gross."

Andy looked insulted. "I'll show you gross, mister!" She said launching into a tickle fight with her son.

Miranda stood in the doorway watching with a soft smile on her face wishing she could keep her Andrea as happy as she was in that moment. Louisa came to stand just behind her. The both watched them with amusement.

"It is a great shame Miss Andy's father never saw this. If he saw, there is no way he could ever say it was wrong." Louisa said quietly.

Miranda glanced at her before turning her eyes back to her wife and son. "Once again, Louisa, you know best."

"Mom! Help! Make her stop, Mom." Alex said through bouts of giggles.

Louisa laughed as she left the room. Miranda shook her head and smirked. "I refuse to be drawn into the shenanigans of you two."

Andy laughed. "Ha! You said shenanigans."

"Apparently, I live with two five-year olds. It's appropriate don't you think?"

"Good one, Mom."

"Hey bud, you're one of the five-year olds she's referring to in this equation."

Alex thought about it for a moment. "Hey! Not cool Mom. I'm eight!"

"You're right. I am so sorry." Miranda said in her signature sarcastic tone which made Andy laugh harder.

"I hate to break this up, but 'New Girl' made our travel arrangements and I need to speak with you."

Andy immediately sobered. "Okay bud, why don't you head on up and pack a few things? You can get Louisa to help you get started. I'll be up in a few minutes to give you a hand."

"Okay Moms. I'm on it."

"And I don't think I need to remind you that super hero costumes do not count as clothing, Alexander. I don't care how much you get Louisa to glare at me." Miranda said to his retreating form. They could hear him grumbling up the stairs.

Miranda floated over and moved into Andy's arms, holding her close for a long moment. She pulled back and fiddled with collar of Andy's shirt. "So many things in your life would have been different if I had just continued walking that day."

Andy tilted her head. "Maybe, but then I wouldn't have you and our beautiful girls…" Moving the stubborn lock of hair aside, she placed a gentle kiss on Miranda's forehead. She lifted her eyes up towards the ceiling. "… and we wouldn't have that amazing kid up there. I will never regret a single thing about that day."

"Really?" Miranda said with a knowing smirk.

"Okay, well maybe jumping in front of that cab. My ass was sore for days after that."

Miranda leaned in and kissed her soundly. "You're a pathetic romantic."

"You love it."

"That I do."

"So what were you saying about the arrangements?'

"As I said before, 'New Girl'…"

"She's really not new anymore, you know. Her name is Keisha. She's been working for you for over a year and she's amazing. Everyone knows you're taking her with you when you leave RUNWAY. Besides, she like your other wife. You really should start calling her by her name."

Miranda rolled her eyes. "She is no such thing."

"Yes, she is. She practically does everything I do."

Miranda raised a teasing brow. "Really?"

Andy frowned. "Okay, maybe not everything… or at least she better not be. But she's totally your work wife. The point is you should use her real name."

"In due time, darling. As I was saying, 'New Girl' has everything booked. I just need to know if you plan for us to stay with your mother or if we will need a hotel."

"I assume the girls are still coming?"

"You're their mother. They want to be with you. I would never try to talk them out of that." _'Besides, I think you will need as much love and support around you as possible.'_ Miranda thought to herself.

"Okay. In that case, I think we should stay at a hotel. Mom has enough room, but there will be people dropping by and I don't want the kids to have to deal with all of that. We'll be more comfortable at a hotel."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, book the hotel. I'm going to go help Alex pack before he tries to pack his Spider Man suit as an outfit." She gave Miranda a quick peck on the cheek as she headed towards the stairs. She paused for a moment and looked back at Miranda. "Thank you, Miranda… for everything."

"I love you, darling."

Andy smiled softly. "I know and I thank god for that every day."

 

 


	4. Chapter 4

 

As it turned out, Keisha really was good at her job. She managed to book them in the penthouse suite at the Hyatt Resort downtown with a spectacular view of downtown Cincinnati. Andy thought it was perfect. The suite met Miranda's standards and it was near the interstate which made it easy to drive back and forth to the suburban neighborhood where Andy had grown up.

"If Keisha had been around when Emily and I were at RUNWAY, we wouldn't have stood a chance. Instead of calling us Emily, you have called us Keisha."

"Whatever are you talking about, Andrea?"

"Do you know she prepared a complete itinerary of museums and amusement parks for Alex to visit, including times and tickets?" Andy said flipping through the folder. "There are even references for nanny services in here if we need it."

"Is it not her job to provide assistance to me with anything I should need?"

"If you say so. I'm surprised she didn't find a way to provide you with your daily coffee demands." She laughed as she continued to look through the thick folder. "Oh my god! She did." Andy pulled out another sheet. "The local Starbucks down the street is delivering your coffee to the hotel. I love this chick!"

"If you have finished fawning over my assistant, you might want to get dressed. The car will be here to take us to your mother's in an hour."

Andy stretched and headed off towards the shower. "When are the girls getting here?"

"They sent a text a moment ago. They are actually in route now. If you hurry and shower, you can be finished by the time they get here." Miranda prompted.

Andy bit her lip and grinned. "I might be more productive if I had some help washing my back."

Miranda raised a brow and tried to hide the smile pulling at her lips. "I think that might actually be counterproductive."

Miranda moved away only to have Andy start pulling her towards the large bathroom.

"Andrea, I've already had a shower." Miranda protested feebly.

"You can never be too clean, baby. Haven't you ever heard that cleanliness is next to godliness?" She said trailing a finger down Miranda's neck between her breasts releasing the delicate buttons as she went. She followed the path with soft, wet kisses down Miranda's throat.

Miranda's shivered all over when Andy grazed a sensitive nipple with her teeth. Andy chuckled softly knowing she had her wife right where she wanted her. Miranda was too weak to care. One kiss from this woman and it always put Miranda in a haze of arousal. Andy stepped back and peeled her t-shirt off before making quick work of her jeans and underwear.

Miranda's eyes roamed over Andy's naked body and felt a familiar tightness in the pit of her stomach. She finally gave up protesting and kissed Andy's mouth hungrily. Andy gasped and tried to catch her breath.

"Damn woman. That mouth is about to get you into some serious trouble."

Miranda laughed as Andy quickly started divesting her of her own clothing and moved them into the shower. "Promises, Promises."

"Miranda?"

"Hmm?"

"Shut-up."

Miranda tilted her head back into the spray and smiled as Andy dropped to her knees. "Yes… dear."

 

Forty minutes later, a very smug Andy was helping Alex tuck his shirt properly while Miranda was getting dressed for the second time. A few minutes later, there was a soft knock at the door.

"I'll get it!" Alex said bolting towards the large entrance.

"Hold it, mister!" Andy said catching him by the collar. "You know you're not tall enough to see through the peep-hole. You have to be sure to ask who it is first."

Alex nodded and turned back to the door as Andy stood behind him. "Who is it?"

"The one and only C&C Music Factory of course!" Came an animated response.

Miranda chuckled as she walked into the room putting her earring on and saw her son practically ripping the door open. "Cassie!"

"OOf! Hey bud! Didya miss me or something?" Cassidy said as her brother barreled into her.

"Hey! What am I… chopped liver?" Said the matching voice behind them.

"Carrie!"

More prepared for the onslaught, Caroline kneeled and hugged him close.

"Wow, Alex. You're growing like a weed, man." She said ruffling his hair.

Alex puffed out his chest and grinned. "Mom said its all fattening food Moms lets me eat."

Cassidy smirked. "I'm sure she did."

"Alexander, allow your sisters to come inside so the gentleman can bring in the luggage please." Miranda said.

The trio made their way inside and over to their parents while the porter took care of the bags.

"Hello Mom. Hi Moms." Cassidy said hugging Miranda then Andy. Caroline followed.

Andy stood back and looked at the girls she considered her own. They were nearly twenty-two years old now and about to graduate from Stanford University this summer. Caroline had majored in design and art history while Cassidy was a journalism major. It had been very difficult for her and Miranda to allow them to move nearly three thousand miles away, but they both agreed that it was the best for them to have a little independence. At least, Andy did; it took a lot of sex to finally get Miranda to comply. It seemed like the years had flown by and their little dragons were all grown up. They had grown into beautiful women much to the dismay of their parents. She and Miranda had been fighting off the boys since they'd hit puberty. Andy didn't even want to think about the boys, as well as girls in Cassidy's case, that were sniffing around them now.

"I told your mother that you didn't have to fly out here. I know it's been hectic with finals and graduation looming." Andy started.

"Moms, have you fallen and bumped your head or something? Of course we wanted to be here." Caroline said sounding a little too much like Miranda.

"Yeah. What she said." Cassidy said making Andy smile. Cassidy had always been the more relaxed twin.

Cassidy pulled Andy down on the sofa next to her while Caroline sat on the other side. They both took one of her hands. "All joking aside, even though things weren't perfect, we know you loved your dad. We also know what you gave up for us. You're our Andy." She grinned at how strange it sound to call Andy anything other than Moms. It had been years since they had stopped saying it. "You're Moms." She corrected.

"Cass is right. You've always been there for us over the years. It's our time to return the favor. It's what you do for family… and that's all."

The familiar dismissal caused them laugh as Miranda rolled her eyes.

"I can remember a time when you two didn't think so highly of me though, especially you." Andy said winking at Caroline.

Caroline and Cassidy both groaned.

Caroline hid her face in Andy's chest. "Come on, Moms. Cut us some slack will you?"

"Yeah, we were only eight." Cassidy added.

"Hey, I'm eight." Alex interjected.

"That you are, little man and you are world's more mature than your big sis and I were at that age." Cassidy said thinking back.

 

_-Flashback: 13 Years Ago-_

_"_ _But I don't understand why she has to be here!" Caroline said angrily crossing her arms over her chest. "Today was supposed to be our day."_

_Miranda sighed looking at both her girls. "We have been over this before. Andrea and I are going to be seeing each other. She is spending the day with us because she's Mommy's special friend and I think you two should get to know her better. I think you'd like her if you did."_

_Cassidy glanced over her mother's shoulder and glared at a slightly nervous Andy. "What is so special about her? She used to work for you."_

_"_ _Yeah. She was your assistant and not even the_ _**first** _ _assistant." Caroline added._

_Miranda shot the girl a look. "Caroline!"_

_"_ _What? It's the truth." Caroline shot back._

_"_ _Why are you making us do this, Mom? She won't be around that long anyway." Caroline smirked, making eye contact with Andy. "You'll be just like the others. She'll get bored with you too."_

_"_ _Enough!" Miranda became outraged. She knew her girls could be a handful, but they had never been downright rude before. "You will never speak to Andrea that way again."_

_Both girls shrank back slightly at Miranda's raised voice. Their mother never raised her voice. As a matter of fact, their mother hardly ever even showed emotion._

_Andy could tell that the editor was about to launch into a vengeful tirade. She found herself speaking up in defense of the twins in spite of herself. "It's alright, Miranda. It's no big deal. We can do this another time."_

_Miranda turned and looked into Andy's big brown eyes. The hurt she saw there made her blood boil even more. "No, it isn't alright, Andrea." She turned back and glared at the twins. "I think my daughters should spend the remainder of the weekend in their rooms with no entertainment what so ever to think about their brash behavior and how they've managed to embarrass me."_

_"_ _Miranda…" Andy stepped forward and touched her shoulder. "Can I talk to you for a minute? Please?"_

_The twins watched as the two adults stepped into the kitchen. They smirked at each other when they realized they could still hear their conversation. This was going to be good. "She is so out of here. I knew she wouldn't last. She doesn't really care about Mom,"_

_"_ _Miranda, please don't punish them. They have a right to their opinions."_

_Miranda was losing patience. "They have no right to speak to anyone that way especially you and I won't allow it."_

_"_ _They're just being kids, Miranda." She shoved her hands in her pockets and shrugged her shoulders. "This is new and different and it's a lot to take in. They don't know how they should feel about me suddenly being in your life like this. I can understand that."_

_Miranda ran her fingers down Andy's leather jacket before dropping her gaze to the floor. Today was not going the way she'd hoped. "I didn't think it would be like this."_

_"_ _You know, maybe today wasn't such a good idea. They need more time… with you. I think I should probably go."_

_"_ _I don't want you to." Miranda's voice was even softer than usual. Andy smiled sadly knowing the editor was truly as disappointed as she was. Between both of their busy schedules, they rarely had the opportunity to spend time together. They hadn't even had the chance to go out on a real date yet._

_The twins, still watching from the other room, perked up when they saw Andy reach out and take their mother's hand. They couldn't believe their eyes. Their mother didn't allow anyone other than family to touch her. They couldn't even remember their father or Stephen holding her hand like that…ever._

_"_ _I don't either, but it's the right thing to do for_ _them_ _. And if I'm going to do this right, I have to put them first too. So… please don't be too hard on them. If there has to be a bad guy in all of this, I'd rather it be me and not you."_

_"_ _Why?"_

_"_ _Because they need you. You're their mother." Andy smiled. "Besides, I'm just the former assistant that happens to like you a lot."_

_Miranda held her gaze intently and shook her head. "You're so much more than that to me."_

_"_ _I know. Lucky me." Andy leaned forward and kissed Miranda softly on the cheek. Miranda sighed and leaned into the touch. "You can call me later. I'm not going anywhere, Miranda. I promise."_

_Miranda met warm brown eyes and knew there was a double meaning in those words. "I'm glad."_

_Caroline and Cassidy were left a bit speechless. They had never seen such a sad look in their mother's eyes as she watched Andy walk out the back door. It made them feel even worse when Miranda finally faced them with unshed tears in her eyes._

_"_ _I want you two to know that I am deeply disappointed by your behavior."_

_"_ _So what's our punishment?" Caroline asked practically rolling her eyes._

_"_ _You're not being punished."_

_"_ _What? Really?" Cassidy asked._

_"_ _Andrea asked me not to."_

_"_ _What?" Cassidy mumbled._

_"_ _Yes. Andrea said that you both have a right to your opinions and that she'd rather you think poorly of her than of me." Miranda sniffed. "I happen to disagree with her. I don't really care if you think poorly of me since you have treated me so poorly just now. If it were up to me, you two would be grounded until you were thirty. I was deeply embarrassed by you today, not because you disliked someone I have chosen to befriend, but because you were rude and disrespectful to someone for no other reason other than sport."_

_Caroline mumbled under her breath earning her an elbow from her sister. "Shut up, Carrie."_

_Miranda raised a brow at her youngest by two minutes. "You have something to say, Caroline?"_

_Caroline could feel the intense eyes of her mother on her. Shoulders back and head up, Caroline faced the glare head on. "I said it's no different from how you treat people at RUNWAY."_

_The statement had stung Miranda deeply; however, the only evidence that she had been affected by her daughter's words was the slight flaring of her nostrils. She turned and gave the girl her full attention._

_"_ _When a person has been incompetent or failed to complete a necessary task, I tell them so that they avoid doing so again. It is my job to do so. Poor work performance and failure could cost the magazine millions of dollars; dollars that pay the salaries of countless individuals. There is no room for social niceties in my line of work. I tell my employees the truth because people depend on me to do so not because I enjoy being uncouth and ill-mannered. Can either of you say the same about your actions today?"_

_Both girls said nothing as they kept their eyes on their shoes._

_"_ _I take that as a no." Miranda sighed turning her back to stare out the window. "I am deeply disappointed in you both. Not only did you insult someone who I have come to care a great deal about, but you made me feel like a terrible mother today."_

_"_ _Mom…" Caroline started._

_"_ _That's all."_

_Cassidy's eyes widened. Their mother had never used that dismissal with them. She swallowed the lump in her throat as she followed Caroline to the door. "I'm sorry, Mom." She whispered._

_Caroline kept her eyes to the floor. "Yeah, I'm sorry too."_

 

"Okay, so we were total brats. I'll admit to that." Caroline laughed.

"I'm not sure brat is the B word I would have used." Andy whispered.

Caroline pretended to be hurt. "Hey, we started to come around eventually."

Miranda chuckled. "Yes, but only after I gave you two the cold shoulder for about a week."

Andy laughed. "And even then, they still gave me the evil eye when I took you out the first time."

Cassidy laughed out loud. "Oh man, I remember that day. You were so nervous, Moms. It would have been cute if we weren't still trying to hate you."

Andy laughed in remembrance. "I remember that day like it was yesterday."

 

_-Flashback: 13 Years Ago, One Week Later-_

_"_ _Hi."_

_Miranda raked her eyes over the young woman standing at her door. She gave an approving nod at the dark denim jeans, white button down, and Prada riding boots. But what seemed to catch her eye the most was the smooth leather jacket. She was growing rather fond of it. The dark brunette was stunningly sexy in it._

_"_ _Hello, Andrea. Please, come in."_

_Andy stepped inside. "Uh… these are for you."_

_Miranda raised a brow at the lovely flowers pulled from behind the young woman's back._

_"_ _No Freesia. I promise." Andy teased._

_Miranda found her utterly charming. It had been ages since someone had brought her flowers before a date. Who did such a thing anymore? Apparently, Andy did. She took the flowers and smiled. "Thank you. They're lovely."_

_"_ _You're welcome."_

_"_ _Why don't you have a seat in the study while I put these in water then we'll go?"_

_"_ _Sure."_

_Before Andy made it to the study, the twins came down the stairs and decided to make an appearance. Andy shoved her hands in her pockets and faced them head on. "Hello Cassidy, Caroline." She said nodding to each twin. It still threw them off that Andy could tell them apart so easily. She liked it._

_"_ _Hello." They grumpily said together. Cassidy moved down the stairs and peeked around the corner for her mother. "So… you really like our mom, right?"_

_Andy nodded. "Yes, I do."_

_"_ _So you're not just playing around with her or anything, are you?"_

_"_ _Of course not. I really like your Mom. Really."_

_"_ _I guess we should like… say sorry for last week. Our Mom said we were rude and she was embarrassed so… sorry." She mumbled. Caroline mumbled something that resembled the word sorry as well._

_"_ _Just like I told your mother, you don't have to apologize. I get it. I'd be a little leery of me too, but for what it's worth I accept your apology."_

_Caroline folded her arms over her chest and looked at her for a long time. Andy could tell that winning Caroline over was going to take a lot longer._

_"_ _You're not taking her anywhere weird are you? Mom deserves to go somewhere nice. She likes nice places."_

_"_ _And exactly how long is this outing of yours going to last?" Cassidy added._

_"_ _Mom has to be up early for work, you know…so she shouldn't be out really late." Caroline said without missing a beat._

_Andy tugged at her shirt collar suddenly feeling warmer. She couldn't believe she was getting the 'date talk' from Miranda's kids. Well they were Miranda Priestly's kids weren't they?_

_"_ _Girls, I promise. I like your Mom and I just want to take her out and make sure she has a good time." She swallowed. "And I'm pretty sure that I can have her home at a decent hour." Andy couldn't believe she was actually having this conversation. She felt like a teenage boy talking to her date's father._

_"_ _Girls, shouldn't you be finishing your homework?" Miranda's voice floated through the air as she approached. "Say Goodnight to Andrea. I will come and check on you two when I get in… at a decent hour."_

_Both girls had the good grace to blush as they glared at Andy._

_"_ _Goodnight Andrea." They both said in that eerie twin voice together._

_"_ _Goodnight girls."_

_"_ _I'm Caroline. That's Cassidy. We're separate, not a matching set."_

_"_ _Gotcha. Goodnight… Caroline. Goodnight Cassidy."_

_Andy and Miranda watched them as they disappeared up the stairs. Andy turned to Miranda and sighed. "Tough crowd, huh?"_

_Miranda sighed slightly. "Well, they are my daughters."_

_"_ _That they are."_

_As Andy helped Miranda with her coat, she noticed the editor's attire for the first time and was instantly pleased. She'd warned the editor several times that she should dress casually; casual for a normal person that is because she would need to be comfortable. Miranda was a bit troubled by this, but went along with her wishes. She was actually wearing a pair of jeans; they were designer jeans of course but still jeans. The dark blue D &G cashmere cowl neck sweater and pair of dark brown riding boots that looked similar to Andy's completed the outfit perfectly. Andy smirked knowing Miranda's boots were from the latest Prada line. Andy shook her head. Miranda's supposed casual outfit undoubtedly cost more than what most people made in a month. _

_"_ _Um… Wow. You look great, Miranda. I should have told you sooner. I got a little distracted."_

_"_ _Thank you. You don't look half bad yourself."_

_When she turned around, Andy was openly looking at her in a seductive way catching Miranda by surprise. She cleared her throat delicately. "So where, pray tell, are you taking me this evening, Andrea?"_

_Miranda was a little concerned when Andy whispered the directions to Roy. Andy simply took her hand and told her to wait and see as they got into the car._

_"_ _So… how has work been?" Andy asked lightly._

_"_ _Small talk? Really Andrea?"_

_Andy laughed and squeezed her hand. "Is it so hard to believe that I am actually interested in how your week has been? How many times do we have to go through this?"_

_"_ _I guess I'm just not used to someone asking me about things like this."_

_"_ _Well I actually do care about how you day goes. I'm interested, very interested Miranda."_

_Miranda stared at her for a moment catching the double meaning. She smiled softly in return. "I know and… work has been the usual string of hours of incompetency. Emily is as neurotic as ever and Nigel is being his usual annoying self by insinuating that I was having a difficult time concentrating."_

_"_ _And did you… have a difficult time concentrating?" Andy suppressed a grin. She knew Miranda had been distracted. Nigel had called her and spilled the beans._

_Miranda huffed. "Of course, I did."_

_"_ _And why is that?"_

_Miranda turned and held her eyes intently. "I kept hoping that tonight would get here sooner."_

_Andy smiled and placed a soft kiss to the back of Miranda's hand. "Me too."_

_The car stopped at a small restaurant in Chelsea. Andy ignored the raised brow shot in her direction. She opened the door and helped Miranda out then whispered something to Roy through the window. He nodded and drove away._

_She held out a hand to Miranda. "Shall we?"_

_Miranda took her hand and looked at the restaurant with a critical eye as they entered. The owner met Andy at the door and they exchanged a few words in Italian before they were led to a quiet table in the back of the room._

_"_ _I wasn't aware you spoke Italian." Miranda was intrigued._

_Andy looked up from her menu and looked her in the eyes confidently. "Actually, I mentioned it when we were in Paris, but I think you were a bit preoccupied trying to get away from me." She smiled at the blush that dusted Miranda's cheeks. "Besides, I'm sure there's a lot you don't know about me."_

_Miranda saw Andy in a completely different light in that moment. Gone was the nervous young naïve girl who wandered into her office looking for a job so long ago. This young woman sitting before her now was confident and sure of herself. Miranda liked what she saw._

_"_ _So tell me something then?"_

_"_ _What would you like to know?"_

_Miranda ran a finger over her bottom lip and studied her date. "Everything, but you may start with something simple… Tell me about your family."_

_Andy smiled. "My family is pretty run of the mill. I have a younger brother named Josh. He's in college. My dad, Richard, is a tax attorney. He has a small firm back in Cincinnati. My mom is an orthopedic surgeon."_

_Miranda's interest was piqued. "Excuse me. I'm not sure having a surgeon for a mother constitutes run of the mill."_

_Andy laughed. She was used to that response when she spoke about her mother. "I guess not. Her name is Audrey and she works at Cincinnati University Hospital. She's a bit of an overachiever."_

_"_ _So that's where you get it from." Miranda's eyes twinkled. "And you didn't want to follow in her footsteps?"_

_Andy shook her head and grinned. "I can't stand the sight of blood and I'm terrible with any kind of bio-chemistry. Now, I almost followed in my dad's career path before I realized it wasn't a good fit for me. I think he's still kind of upset that I turned down Stanford Law to be a writer."_

_Miranda's eyes widened. "Stanford? That's quite impressive. It seems that you are full of surprises, Andrea. I almost feel as if I don't know you at all."_

_"_ _But you want to, right?" Andy asked shyly._

_"_ _Oh yes."_

_Dinner was a complete hit. The food, to Miranda's surprise was divine. The service was quite acceptable and the company was beyond compare._

_"_ _I take it the owner knows you well. How did you find this wonderful little place?"_

_"_ _When I started at the Mirror, I had to take the stories that nobody wanted. My editor started me out doing obits and restaurant reviews. When I wasn't writing death notices, I basically had the job of going to all these unusual restaurants around the city. It really just consisted of me talking to the food critics, sampling the food on the menu, and interviewing the customers and owners." She shrugged as she sipped her wine. "It was fun for a while even though I had to run an extra mile every morning. I can't go getting fat again and lose this size four figure, can I?" She finished winking at her._

_Miranda looked away for a moment. "You were never actually fat, Andrea."_

_Andy ran her finger over the rim of her wine glass. She had a twinkle in her eyes when she glanced up through her thick lashes. The look made Miranda swallow hard._

_"_ _Really? Because I can distinctly remember you calling me the smart, fat girl."_

_Miranda could only nod. Sometimes things just came back to bite you in the ass. "Yes, I did say that. But you should know that I never meant it…personally. By RUNWAY's standards, you would have been considered to be a bit… plump. But those are RUNWAY's standards; not considered normal."_

_By now Andy was laughing at which Miranda rolled her eyes. After her laughter was under control, Andy looked into cool blue eyes and held them. "And what about your standards?" She asked in a low sultry voice that sent a shiver through the editor._

_Miranda raked her eyes over the long lean figure seated across from her and smirked. "Perfection. You're a very beautiful woman, Andrea."_

_"_ _Thank you." Andy felt a heat rise over her entire body from Miranda's intense gaze. She shivered slightly. "On that note, I think we should go. We have somewhere to be."_

_Miranda watched as Andy took care of the check and again exchanged words in Italian with the owner who kissed both of her cheeks happily. She noticed the effect Andy had on people she came into contact with. It was something very charismatic about her personality. She'd seen it at RUNWAY and she could see it even more now. People were simply drawn to the younger woman and she was no different._

_They walked out of the restaurant to find Roy waiting at the curb. Andy gave no hints as to where they were heading next. Miranda was a little surprised when they ended up at the park._

_Andy nearly laughed at the look on Miranda's face. "Come on. I promise to keep you safe." She held out a hand to help her out of the car._

_Miranda looked around curiously as Roy handed a few items to Andy from the trunk. Miranda looked at her with skepticism. "And what are we going to do with those?"_

_Andy rolled her eyes and took her hand. "Stop worrying so much, Priestly. Just let yourself have a little fun for a change."_

_"_ _Fun? Andrea we are in a darkened park." She said looking around suspiciously. "I don't think getting mugged will constitute as fun."_

_"_ _Oh shut up and come on."_

_Miranda huffed as they walked down a small sidewalk path. Soon, Miranda picked up the sound of soft music and talking. Her eyes widened when they came upon the large screen in the distance and people scattered throughout._

_"_ _When it's warm enough, they show a movie out here a couple of times a month and people come out and watch. That's what these are for." She gestured to the blankets in her arms. "And don't worry. I can almost guarantee that no one will recognize you here; if they do they won't bother you. The press would never expect Miranda Priestly to be here. Come on."_

_"_ _Obviously." Miranda said dryly. Andy only laughed._

_Andy found a spot by a secluded tree and spread out the soft blankets. She placed the remaining blanket aside then sat down with her back against the tree. She looked up at Miranda and held out her hand. "Come on. Sit."_

_With a final glance around, Miranda finally took her hand and sat down. Andy positioned her between her legs and allowed Miranda to lean back against her. Both let out a soft gasp as their bodies touched. Andy leaned into Miranda's ear when she felt the woman shiver._

_"_ _Are you cold?"_

_The evening air wasn't the cause of the shiver that shook her body, but she nodded just the same. Andy picked up the other blanket and spread it over Miranda then rested her arms around the older woman. Miranda felt her entire body turn to mush as she relaxed into strong those arms._

_Once they were settled, the movie started right on time and the park lights were dimmed. Andy smirked when the movie title came up on the screen._

_Miranda turned slightly and caught her eye. "You think you're so smart, don't you?"_

_"_ _No. I just pay attention to the important things."_

_Andy knew that the original "An Affair to Remember" was one of Miranda's favorite movies. She had mentioned it off handedly while putting together a photo shoot using some of the themes from the old film. When she'd read about it being shown in the park, Andy had known it would be a perfect idea._

_Finally relaxed, Miranda leaned back and enjoyed her favorite film while being held in the arms of the object of her desire. She laughed to herself at how it all seemed. It had been so long since she'd sat and watched a movie with someone other than the twins. Andy had even known what her favorite film was; none of her ex-husbands had bothered to care. She suddenly felt like a teenager again; like the schoolgirl out on a date with her crush. They watched mostly in silence; speaking out about something happening on screen or Andy asking a question about the characters every now and then. It was all together a wonderful experience for both of them._

_Before long, the ending credits were rolling and the lights were coming up and Andy was a little disappointed. She'd loved the feeling of holding Miranda so close; it was becoming one of her favorite things to do. Miranda helped Andy fold the blankets and they left. Roy was waiting at the curb. Andy handed off the blankets to him and turned to Miranda._

_"_ _You think you can walk in those boots, lady? We're actually only a few blocks away from your place."_

_Miranda gave her a mock glare. "You do know to whom you are speaking, don't you?"_

_Andy laughed and rolled her eyes. "How could I ever forget? Of course Miranda Priestly can walk in heels." She held out her elbow for Miranda as she waved Roy off. "Go home Roy. We're going to walk."_

_Roy tipped his hat and returned to the car leaving them alone. Miranda gave her a stern look. "Giving my employees orders already? And just how will you be getting home now?"_

_Andy started them on a slow stroll. "The same way I got there; I'll take the subway home."_

_"_ _That's just nonsense. It's late. I will call Roy back and have him…"_

_Andy silenced Miranda with a soft but thorough kiss nipping her bottom lip as she pulled away. She waited until Miranda opened her eyes. "I'm a big girl, Miranda. I can take care of myself. Now be quiet and let me walk my lovely date home."_

_Miranda obeyed, leaning slightly into Andy as they slowly walked the few blocks back to the townhouse. Neither saw the point in making small talk; they just enjoyed the silent company of one another. Miranda found that she was more than a little disappointed when they finally climbed the steps to the townhouse._

_"_ _Would you like to come in for a drink?" Miranda asked hating that she sounded so cliché._

_Andy shoved her hands into the pockets of her jacket and smirked. "It's kinda late and I promised your lovely daughters that I would have you home at a decent hour so you could get adequate rest."_

_"_ _The little devils." Miranda murmured._

_"_ _They're right though. I should probably get going. I don't want to push my luck with them… or us."_

_Miranda gave her a nod. "I understand." She looked away unsure why she suddenly felt shy. She and Andy had already talked about this. They were both on the same page. They wanted each other; but they wanted to do things right. They needed to take things slow. Simply falling into bed with one another was not an option, but that didn't mean her body didn't want it._

_"_ _Thank you for a wonderful night, Andrea. I really did enjoy the evening."_

_Andy let out a relieved sigh. "Good. I…I'm glad. I had a good time too."_

_"_ _Well, I…"_

_Whatever she was about to say was lost when she felt Andy's lips on her own. It was soft yet passionate at the same time. She moaned at the sensation of Andy's tongue teasing her bottom lip seeking entrance which she granted. Her hands automatically found the lapels of Andy's jacket pulling her closer deepening the kiss. She whimpered as soft fingertips caressed the line of her jaw and tickled the hair at her neck. When they pulled apart, Andy pressed her forehead to Miranda's for a moment to catch her breath._

_"_ _You are so beautiful." The breathy tone caused a warm blush to wash over Miranda's pale skin._

_Placing another quick kiss on her lips, Andy finally stepped back. "I'm gonna go now. Good night, Miranda. I'll call you."_

_Miranda couldn't hide the smile that spread over her face. She didn't even want to. "Good night, Andrea."_

 

"I must admit, as far as first dates go… you didn't totally screw it up, Moms." Caroline said sagely.

Andy laughed. "Well thank you so much, Caroline. I think I heard a compliment in there somewhere."

"You're welcome."

"When Mom came home with this love-sick look on her face, we knew she was a goner."

Miranda rolled her eyes. "I did not have a love-sick expression on my face."

"Yeah right. You practically floated up the stairs. It was totally gross." Caroline said with a grin. "That's when we knew we had to let the grudge go. You actually started to grow on us after that, Moms."

"Yeah, sort of like one of those rare rashes that you can't get rid of." Cassidy said with a wicked gleam in her eyes.

They all laughed as Cassidy deftly dodged the throw pillow being aimed at her head.

Miranda shook her head at their antics. Alex snuggled into Miranda and laughed. He loved when his sisters were home. To him, they were simply hilarious.

"No. Seriously though…" Caroline said becoming serious again. "We got to know you and fell in love with you too, Moms. It didn't take long for us to want you all to ourselves."

"Yeah, and before long Mom had to send us on play dates just so she could have a _play_ date with you." Cassidy said wiggling her brows, forgetting that her little brother was still in the room.

"What did you and Moms do on your play dates, Mom?" Alex asked innocently looking up at Miranda.

The twins had to bite their cheeks to keep from laughing.

Miranda glared at them before smiling sweetly at Alex. "Chess, sweetheart. We played lots and lots of chess."

"Is that what they're calling it these days, Moms?" Cassidy whispered.

Andy covered her face with a throw pillow and groaned.

"So exactly how good of a chess player are you, Moms? If I recall, I think I remember Mom saying something about you being the best she'd ever played with." Caroline added with that naughty twinkle in her blue eyes. These two were definitely Miranda Priestly's spawn.

Andy met Miranda's eyes and they both smiled. Some things would never change. Even after the twins had warmed up to Andy, dating Miranda Priestly hadn't always been easy. They both had hectic schedules and outside responsibilities making time alone a rarity, not to mention two eight year old terrors cramping their style. But even with all their obstacles, Andy would always remember those times with fondness, especially their first time. They had taken their time and done things right and it had paid off.

 

_-Flashback: 13 Years Ago-_

_It had been two months since their first date; two long, dry, sexless months. Shortly after that perfect first date things had gone to hell in a hand basket. Miranda was dealing with Irv and his ridiculous budgetary demands on top of the strike involving nearly all of RUNWAYS photographers. Andy had been traveling back and forth to Washington D.C. covering the Congressional hearings in addition to her usual duties at 'The Mirror'. They had been able to squeeze in a couple of phone calls a week and a quick make-out session in the study after the twins had gone off to bed which was rare since the two spawns of the devil had decided to like Andy._

_When Andy came over for dinner or lunch these days, it wasn't uncommon to find her kidnapped by one or both of the twins. Cassidy had found a kindred spirit in Andy, a mentor who understood her passion of writing. Caroline had found the confidante she'd always needed. Andy would genuinely listen to her talk… about anything. Andy seemed to understand Caroline's need for honesty and security. She never sugar-coated things and she saw beyond Caroline's hard façade. In two short months, Miranda's Andrea had become their Andy._

_If she was lucky, an hour or two alone with Miranda was about all she got. To say that Andy was frustrated would have been a huge understatement. Andy was beginning to think she would never experience the joy of making love with Miranda Priestly, but she was determined not to push the editor for more. She had decided to allow Miranda to set the pace._

_Miranda, for her part, was just as aggravated by the situation. She found herself completely distracted at work lately. Her thoughts were constantly drifting to a certain reporter. The last two months had been quite wonderful and romantic. She had enjoyed the way Andy had courted her. Their stolen moments were incredibly sweet and tender. However, she had grown irritated with their lack of progress. Sweet and tender was nice, but she wanted more. The world would have been incredibly surprised to know that Miranda Priestly was, for lack of a better phrase, just plain horny._

_Miranda looked at the clock. It was almost six o'clock. "Enough of this." Miranda mumbled to herself._

_Making changes and notes on the last set of photos before her, Miranda stood and went into her personal bathroom. A quick touch up of lipstick and she headed out the door._

_"_ _Emily, coat and bag." She said quietly as she approached the red-head's desk._

_Emily snapped to attention and quickly retrieved Miranda's things._

_"_ _Have Roy meet me downstairs. I'm leaving for the evening. I will not require the book. I will review it when I come in tomorrow at noon. Push back and reschedule whatever is needed. I do not wish to be disturbed for any reason. Is that understood?"_

_"_ _Yes, Miranda."_

_Emily watched her boss step into the elevator. She narrowed her eyes at the now closed-door. In her tenure as Miranda's assistant, she couldn't remember a time when Miranda left early for no reason or didn't review the book every night during the work week. Add the fact that Miranda had just told her that she would be coming in late and the exact time all told Emily that something unusual was going on with her boss. She just didn't know what it was. Shaking her head, she went back to her desk to make a new schedule. "I love my job. I love my job."_

_Across town, Andy emailed her last article to her editor then decided to settle down on her sofa for a well deserved glass of wine and reruns of Law & Order: SVU. She'd had a long week and all she wanted to do was see Miranda and hold her in her arms but she knew the editor had been swamped earlier in the week and she didn't want to bother her. Besides, Miranda would always call or text if she was free, which she hadn't. Her thoughts were interrupted by a soft knock at the door._

_Andy frowned wondering who could possibly be at her door. She smiled when she looked through the peep-hole. Her smile only grew when she opened the door._

_"_ _Miranda? What are you doing here?"_

_"_ _Have I come at a bad time? I know it's rather discourteous of me to just show up unannounced."_

_Andy shook her head and waved the older woman inside. She frowned. "That's very considerate of you, but you don't have to announce yourself, Miranda. I told you, you're welcome here anytime."_

_Miranda nodded in return as she glanced around the apartment. This was the first time she had been in Andy's apartment. It was a nice place. The layout was open and airy with dark hardwood floors and warm taupe colored walls. The furnishings were eclectic and modern. She noted a medium-sized flat screen television mounted on the wall across from the sofa. CNN was playing mutely in the background. The opposite wall was composed of two cherry oak wooden bookshelves filled with books and a matching desk facing the large window. Miranda decided that the quaint apartment suited the young journalist perfectly._

_"_ _You have a lovely place, Andrea."_

_"_ _Thank you." Andy responded softly._

_They stood in the middle of the living room just staring at one another for a while before Andy remembered how to be a good host. "Sorry, umm…please have a seat. I was having some wine. Would like a glass?"_

_Miranda licked her lips and nodded. Suddenly, speaking had become rather difficult for her. She had finally allowed her eyes to take in Andrea's attire. The brunette was wearing a pair of well-worn jeans with random holes in them that hung low on her waist and a plain white tank top that clung to her impressive chest and stopped just above her belly button, showing off the beginning of tight abs. Her hair was flowing over her shoulders in thick loose waves and she was barefoot. Miranda declared the sight the sexiest thing she'd ever seen._

_"_ _Wine would be lovely. Thank you."_

_"_ _Okay. I'll be right back. Make yourself at home."_

_Miranda walked around the room for a moment taking in the little decorations here and there. She perused the collection of books on the shelves and was pleasantly surprised to see she and Andy had very similar taste in literature. She took a seat on the dark leather sofa and couldn't help but moan as her tired muscles relaxed into the comfortable cushions. Andrea might have questionable taste in fashion, but her taste in home furnishings was impeccable it seemed._

_Andy walked back into the room just in time to witness Miranda lying back with her eyes closed. The soft moan she released nearly made Andy's knees buckle. She cleared her throat and made her way back over to the sofa. She handed Miranda the glass and took a seat next to her with her arm resting along the back of the sofa just behind Miranda's head. She was close enough to smell Miranda's signature Chanel perfume._

_Miranda took a long sip and closed her eyes. "Mmm… I needed that."_

_Andy felt her head swim hearing that moan again. It was wreaking havoc on other parts of her body as well. "Rough day?"_

_"_ _Rough week." Miranda corrected._

_"_ _So… where are the girls tonight?"_

_"_ _Impromptu sleep-over. They called earlier and begged to stay over at a friend's house."_

_"_ _And you let them on a school night?" Andy smiled and felt Miranda's forehead. "Are you coming down with something?"_

_"_ _Stop it." Miranda took her hand away and kissed the palm. "It's been a long couple of weeks. Work has been crazy and we haven't been able to see each other…"_

_Andy waited as Miranda trailed off. She could tell the older woman was upset. She lifted her chin and met cool blue eyes. "Hey, what's going on?"_

_"_ _I know my children were… difficult in the beginning and they can be quite the handful. Dating me probably isn't the easiest thing you've ever done. I just… I don't want you to give up on us… yet."_

_Andy watched her closely for a moment. "You know… there's something I forgot to do when you got here." She leaned in and captured Miranda's lips putting as much feeling as she could into the kiss._

_She pulled back and saw Miranda still had her eyes closed. "I didn't expect to see you tonight, Miranda, but I'm very glad you're here. And just so you know, I don't give up that easy. I happen to like your kids a lot… and I'm kinda crazy about you."_

_Miranda turned her head and looked at Andy for a moment. She raised her hand and gently ran her finger down her perfect cheek. "I've found that I've grown rather attached to the sight of you. Andrea. I've missed you."_

_Andy nearly melted into a puddle right there. Miranda Priestly could be just as romantic as she could be deadly. It was an intoxicating contrast._

_"_ _I've missed you too." Andy said moving in once again. This time, Miranda met her half way taking claim of the lips she'd been dreaming of for days._

_Miranda's pulse went into overdrive. Damn, the silly girl could kiss._

_What started out as just a simple kiss quickly grew into much more. One kiss led to another and another until Miranda found herself practically straddling Andy's legs._

_Andy ran her hands slowly up the toned legs on each side of her until she met the garters attached to the silk stockings. She licked her lips and looked up at the woman now sitting in her lap. Her index finger kept tracing random patterns along the lace on Miranda's thighs which was driving the older woman insane._

_"_ _I love this suit. Was it made just for you?" She asked taking a moment to nibble along Miranda's ear._

_Miranda hissed. "Yes. It's… It's Valentino."_

_Andy smirked. "Of course it is. I love it when you wear black pinstripes. It's so powerful… so sexy… so you."_

_Miranda swallowed hard as Andy's fingers flicked the buttons opened with amazing dexterity. Before she knew what was happening, her blazer had been removed and white silk blouse was un-tucked. She shivered when Andy's fingertips blazed a trail along her sides stopping just below her bra._

_"_ _Miranda?"_

_"_ _Yes."_

_Andy pulled her close and buried her face in Miranda's neck. She bit down just enough to make Miranda jump. "If you want me to stop, you need to tell me now."_

_Miranda pulled back and looked into her eyes. Her eyes were lazy and full of desire. "I don't want to stop."_

_"_ _Are you sure? I don't want you to ever have any regrets."_

_Miranda held Andy's head in her hands and kissed her with complete abandon. It was Andy's turn to moan. When she pulled away, they rested their foreheads together and tried to catch their breath._

_"_ _I want you to make love to me, Andrea."_

_Andy tightened her hold on Miranda's hips and arched into her. "Yes, Miranda."_

_With strength Miranda had never imagined, Andy had easily stood from the sofa with Miranda still in her arms. Miranda locked her legs around Andy's waist and held on tightly. They never broke their kiss as Andy carefully navigated them into the bedroom. Andy laid her gently on the bed before moving away. Miranda mourned the loss of contact. Andy dropped to her knees and carefully unfastened the garters, slowly rolling Miranda's silk stocking down each leg. Miranda moaned as Andy kissed the inside of each thigh before stepping away._

_Andy stood at the foot of the bed and slowly undressed, her eyes locked with Miranda's the entire time. Miranda swallowed the lump in her throat. She didn't know why, but the sight of the younger woman's beautiful body brought tears to her eyes. Andy was at her side immediately._

_"_ _Hey, what's wrong?"_

_Miranda caressed that caring face ever so gently. "Nothing is wrong, my darling. Everything is finally right."_

_"_ _I want to see you, Miranda. May I?"_

_"_ _Yes."_

_Andy slowly undressed Miranda, treating each piece of clothing as if it were a priceless treasure. When their naked bodies touched for the first time, it felt like coming home. There were no other words spoken after that. There was no need for words. They communicated through every caress, every kiss, and every stroke until they were both spent._

_A couple of hours later, Andy lay on her back with Miranda curled up in her arms. She looked up at the ceiling and she smiled. Miranda was correct as usual. This time, everything finally felt right… except for the ringing coming from the other side of the bed. She immediately recognized the sound of the twin's personal ringtone._

_"_ _Miranda. Sweetheart, your phone is ringing."_

_Miranda let out a soft groan before rolling over to find the offending object. Luckily, Andy had the forethought to retrieve her personal belongings and bring them into the bedroom while Miranda had been sleeping._

_"_ _Yes, Bobbsey?"_

_Andy sat up and listened to one half of the conversation. She could already tell where this was going. She grabbed a pair of yoga pants and t-shirt from the dresser while Miranda finished up her call._

_The editor looked at her with sad eyes, seeing the younger woman already dressed. "I'm so sorry. Caroline had a nightmare and they both want to come home."_

_Andy smiled and handed Miranda her neatly folded clothes. She kissed her lips softly. "It's okay. I understand."_

_She sat down on the bed and watched Miranda dress and smooth out her clothes. She turned for Andy to give her the once over. "You look great. No one will have any idea that you spent half the evening being ravished by your lover."_

_Miranda tried to smile but failed. Andy stood and slipped her arms around her slender waist. "Hey, it's okay."_

_"_ _No, it's not. This isn't how… I wanted this to be."_

_"_ _I would've loved waking up with you in my arms and maybe bring you breakfast in bed. It's a really nice fairytale." She kissed Miranda on the forehead and pulled her close. "But that's just what it is… a fairytale. I'll take the reality of you over a fairytale any day. There will be interruptions and cancellations. I'm okay with that because I get to have you in the end. I'm in this, Miranda. I'm in this for the long haul."_

_Miranda tilted her head and kissed Andy deeply. "You're too good to me. I'll make it up to you somehow."_

_Andy smiled. "I look forward to it. Now, go get your girls. I'll call you in the morning."_

_As Miranda walked out the door, she turned and flashed Andy a genuine smile. Andy felt her insides melt. And just like that, she knew. She knew that she had fallen head over heels with Miranda Priestly. Little did she know, Miranda had as well._

 

Andy blinked and tried to catch back up to the conversation going on around her. She met amused blue eyes staring at her from across the room. She knew Miranda knew exactly where her mind had gone. They would have many 'play dates' after that night. Miranda became a frequent guest at 'Casa Sachs' just as Andy started staying over at the townhouse. It had been a little awkward at first, especially when she ran into the twins as she left their mother's bedroom, but they had grown used to it after a while.

Andy looked around at her children playfully teasing her and Miranda and she laughed. She wouldn't trade this life for anything. Catching Miranda's eyes, she mouthed 'I love you.'

Miranda's eyes twinkled. "I love you.'

"Oh god, they're doing the eye thing again!" Cassidy said covering her eyes.

Caroline and Alex fell into a fit of laughter. Andy and Miranda continued to smile at one another, not bothered in the slightest.

 

 


	5. Chapter 5

 

Andy smiled slightly as the car pulled up into the driveway of her childhood home. It still looked the same. She had always loved this home. It had been in her mother's family for years. The white two-story ranch style home with a large wrap-around porch sat at the corner of the block. The green lawn was large and lush as she remembered. She was glad they had decided to receive guest at her mother's home instead of her father's a few blocks away. Being back home was hard enough right now. She didn't think she could have handled being in her father's personal space on top of everything else.

She spotted her mother's prize roses already in bloom. It was like taking a step back in time. She could almost see her father playing hoops with her and her brother on the basketball goal above the garage as the sound of a once happy family floated through her mind.

 

_"_ _Look Daddy, I made it! I made it!"_

_"_ _You sure did pumpkin."_

_"_ _Can I try?"_

_"_ _Sure champ. Let's see if you can shoot like your sister."_

 

"Andrea… Andrea, darling we're here." Miranda said softly touching her arm.

"Sorry. I zoned out for a moment.

Miranda looked concerned. "Are you alright?"

Knowing her children's eyes were on her, Andy pasted on a bright smile. "Of course. Let's go before my mother comes out here looking for us."

"Too late." Cassidy laughed. "Grams is already on the porch."

"Well let's go before she storms the car." Andy said climbing out followed by the Priestly women.

Andy smiled softly as she walked up the long driveway. Her mother met her halfway and swept her into a warm embrace. She held on tightly, taking in the familiar feel and scent of her mother. Andy realized just how much she had needed this. There was nothing like her mother's loving embrace to make her feel safe and loved.

"Hey Mom."

"Hi baby." Audrey said holding her close. She stepped away slightly and held Andy's hands out between them. "Let me take a look at you. You look beautiful as ever."

Andy blushed. "So do you. You look great, Mom."

And she did. Andy took a moment to really look at her mother. Audrey Westin-Sachs was still a lovely woman. Andy had always known that her mother was beautiful. Throughout Andy's childhood people always commented on her mother's looks. She was the neighborhood MILF with the perfect cheekbones, slender body with dark hair and eyes. Now, people said the same thing about Andy; that she looked just like her mother. Andy took that as a great compliment.

Sometimes Andy wondered what her mother had seen in her father. Andy knew she wasn't the only one who asked that question either. Audrey was beautiful, intelligent, and charismatic. Her father was somewhat handsome, but there wasn't much that stood out about him. He was a simple tax lawyer with a pleasing personality who was content being average. Her mother was just the opposite. She was outspoken, independent, and a little arrogant in her own way. Most surgeons have to be. Audrey had served as the Chief of Orthopedics at University Hospital for over fifteen years before she went into private practice. Even now, she showed no signs of slowing down and her career was still thriving.

It was obvious that Andy had gotten her fierce intelligence and tenacity from her mother. Her mother hadn't even blinked an eye when Andy announced that she wouldn't be attending Stanford Law School, but moving to New York City to pursue her dream of becoming a writer. Audrey simply told her daughter that if she was going to be a journalist, she expected nothing less than excellence and she wanted to be thanked first when she received her Pulitzer. That hadn't gone over well with Richard Sachs who thought Stanford Law was a more suitable career path for their willful daughter.

"You're looking thin, Andy. Are you eating?" Audrey chastised.

Andy rolled her eyes. This would never change. It didn't matter how old she got, Audrey would never stop mothering her. Andy could also tell that her mother was trying to avoid the elephant between them. She took her mother's hands to stop her from fussing.

"I'm fine, Mom. How are you holding up?"

Audrey took a deep breath and tried to blink away the tears gathering in her eyes. "I'm alright, sweetheart. You're father and I hadn't been in one another's lives in a long time."

Andy nodded. "But you spent a huge part of your life with him. I know you still cared about him. You don't have to have that from me."

Before Audrey could respond, she felt small arms wrapping around her legs. She grinned. "Oh my goodness, who is this handsome devil with you, Andy? He looks a lot like my grandson, Alexander, but that can't be. My grandson couldn't possibly be this tall already."

Alex beamed as his grandmother smiled down at him. "It's me Grams! I grew two inches since our last visit. That's why I look so different."

Audrey leaned down and embraced her grandson and held him tightly. "You are growing so fast, young man. You're going to have to visit me more often or I won't recognize you."

Andy couldn't suppress her smile as she watched her mother and son together. Her heart warmed at the sight. It was nice to know that he had at least one grandparent that adored him.

"And my eyes must be deceiving me. These two beautiful women cannot be my granddaughters." Audrey said eyeing the two red-heads approaching. She held out her arms.

"Hey Grams." Cassidy said hugging her tightly.

Audrey pulled back and held Cassidy's face in her hands and kissed her cheeks. "Who gave you permission to become a woman, young lady?"

Cassidy shrugged her shoulders and laughed.

Audrey turned to Caroline and pulled her into her arms giving her the same treatment. "You get more beautiful every time I see you, sweetie."

"Thanks Grams." Caroline blushed deeply as her grandmother fawned over her.

"Andy, how dare you let my grandbabies grow up?!"

Andy stood back and shook her head.

"And where is my dear daughter-in-law?" Audrey asked in a teasing voice looking around the twins.

Andy shook her head. Her mother had a wicked sense of humor and loved to tease Miranda at every opportunity. Audrey loved reminding the editor that she was nearly the same age as her own mother-in-law. Surprisingly enough, Miranda seemed to have grown used to the teasing; giving as good as she got. The two formidable women had formed an odd friendship of sorts over the years. It was their way and it worked for them.

"Hello, Audrey. Good to see you've maintained your unique sense of style." Miranda said as her eyes roamed over Audrey's plain jeans and button down shirt.

"Miranda, dear, you look as lovely as ever. Terrorizing your minions is still agreeing with you, I see." Audrey said embracing Miranda. She stood back and gave Miranda the same once over that she gave her daughter.

Andy thought it was hilarious that her mother was probably the only woman in the world allowed to critique Miranda Priestly.

"I would tell you that you're too thin as well, but I know it would be a waste of my breath."

"Indeed it would, but I would not dare deprive you of your fun." Miranda said smirking.

"Good to know. At least try to eat some of the food in the kitchen. There are mounds of it. I don't know why people think you instantly turn into hungry savages when a loved one passes. Kids, there's a variety of deserts on the kitchen island. I'm sure you'll enjoy them."

As soon as the word desert was mentioned, the twins and Alex were off and in search of it. Andy and Miranda both groaned.

"Thank you so much, Audrey. Those three in a sugar induced coma is just what we need." Miranda said dryly.

"Oh, a little sugar never hurt anyone." Audrey said with a wicked grin. "Besides, my sister made that raspberry cheesecake that I know a certain someone adores."

Miranda raised a haughty brow. "You don't say."

"I might have put it away in the back of the fridge for that person… who we won't name of course."

They all knew Miranda was obsessed with her Aunt Marie's raspberry cheesecake and her mother made it a point to have some in the house when they visited. Andy thought it was kind of sweet that her mother and aunt did that. She wondered why both sides of her family couldn't be like the Westins.

"I suppose I should go and make sure the kids don't consume too much sugar."

Andy smirked as she watched her wife make her way inside. "Right. Just make sure you leave at least one slice for me this time."

Miranda's only response was a dismissive wave as she entered the house. "Visit with your mother, Andrea. I have this under control."

"You know you're not getting a slice of that cheesecake, right?"

"Do I ever?" Andy said dryly causing them both to laugh.

Andy took a deep breath and released it as she looked around the property. "Looks like you did a little remodeling since our last visit."

"Yes. The house needed a fresh coat of paint and I made a few upgrades. This house has been in my family for three generations. I don't want it to fall apart on my watch."

Audrey looped her arm through Andy's as the slowly strolled up the driveway. Andy noticed a few familiar cars parked along the side. "So… who's all here?"

"The usual suspects; a few of Richard's co-workers and friends. Most of the family has been in and out since yesterday."

"When is Josh getting here?" Andy asked.

"Your brother called this morning. He's flying in tomorrow. He couldn't get anything sooner. And before you say it, I know Miranda offered to send a private jet for him, but you know how proud your brother is."

Andy grunted. "Yeah. He's a lot like Dad."

Audrey sighed. She knew there was a lot of unfinished business between her daughter and son.

"I should also tell you that your Uncle Henry is here too." She said after a long moment of silence.

Andy groaned. Henry Sachs was her father's younger brother. He had shared her father's disapproval of her life and choices. Andy often avoided him at all costs. She had hoped she wouldn't have to deal with him today because she just wasn't in the mood.

"Great."

"Don't worry, sweetheart. I've already given the family notice. I'm not putting up with any nonsense today." Audrey said taking her hand.

"Thanks, Mom."

"I love you, honey."

"I love you too." Andy leaned in and kissed her mother's cheek. "Well, we should probably get in there. I can't avoid it forever."

When Andy stepped into her mother's home, her senses were assaulted with so many memories from the past. Not only were there pictures everywhere, but there were little nick-knacks and items that told the story of a happy childhood. When her eyes landed on a photo of her and her father at the park by the swings, she found herself getting choked up. She lifted the frame and ran a finger over her father's smiling image.

_"_

_Higher, Daddy! I want to fly higher!"_

_"_ _Look Andy! You can touch the sky!"_

_"_ _I love you, Daddy."_

_"_ _I love you too, baby."_

 

She felt so conflicted. The happy man staring back at her wasn't the same man she remembered. So many of her happy memories had been tainted and replaced with the angry, judgmental person he'd become.

"Well if it isn't my little niece, Andy-cakes, the famous writer."

The slurred voice made Andy sigh. She turned and saw her Uncle Henry. Andy noticed he was holding a glass of dark liquid.

"Hello Uncle Henry. How are you?"

"So the prodigal daughter returns." He said ignoring her question. "It only took my brother's death to make it happen."

Andy clenched her jaw and glanced around the room. She saw they had drawn a few curious gazes. She reached out to take his elbow. "Why don't we go get you something to eat to go along with that drink, Uncle Henry?"

Trying to pull away from her, he stumbled slightly spilling some of his drink.

"See what you did. Now I have to get a refill."

"Come on, Uncle Henry. Don't you think it's a little early for the hard stuff? Let me help you go lay down for a few."

"My brother just died. I think I'm allowed a drink or two."

"He was my father too."

"Really? You had a funny way of showing it." He said moving into her personal space. She could smell the stench of alcohol on his breath. "You waltz in here parading your little depraved lifestyle in our faces and you have nerve to try to tell me I can't have a drink in honor of my brother. The same brother that you turned your back on when you hooked up with your rich whor…"

"That's it. I think it's time for you to go get some fresh air, Henry." Audrey said snatching his other arm.

Audrey had come out of the kitchen just in time to overhear her brother-in-law's little rant. Alex had been right behind her. Luckily, she was able to send him back into the kitchen on an errand before he heard anything inappropriate.

The two women quickly escorted the drunken man out the side door.

"Come on Aud! I wasn't doing anything."

"I know Richard was your brother and you're hurting, but this is my daughter and this is my home. My grandchildren are in there and you will not spew this hatred in their presence. I suggest you go home and sleep it off or I will personally kick your ass all the way down the street."

Henry wobbled and started patting his pockets. "Fine. I know when I'm not wanted. Where are my keys? I'm outta here."

Audrey rolled her eyes. "You can't drive anywhere like this. I'll take you."

"It's alright, Aunt Audrey. I can take it from here."

Audrey smiled at her nephew. He was Henry's oldest boy.

"Thank you, Pete."

"No problem."

Pete approached and gave his cousin a pat on the back. "Sorry about this, cuz. It's good to see you back home."

"Thanks Pete. We'll catch up later?"

"You got it." He said with a small smile. "Come on, Pop. Let's get you home."

She and Audrey stood in the driveway and watched them drive away.

"Well at least there's one person on Dad's side of the family that doesn't hate me."

Audrey watched her daughter closely. "Andy, are you okay?"

Andy sighed heavily and nodded. "Yeah. I just need a little air."

"You want me to get Miranda?"

Andy was already half down the driveway before she threw up a hand. "I'm just gonna take a little walk. I'll be back."

Audrey watched her worriedly until she was nearly out of sight.

A couple of hours later, Andy stood out on her mother's back porch smoking a cigarette. She was praying that Miranda or the kids didn't see her. She had quit smoking years ago at the twin's behest. She only smoked when she was extremely stressed and her family definitely brought with them a hefty level of stress. Being scrutinized by some of her more conservative relatives who had no problem showing their disapproval for her life choices, not to mention the uncomfortable run-in with her father's brother had worn her down. She knew she was close to blowing up if pushed any further.

Andy's mother had tried to diffuse any more impeding confrontations by making it known that this was her home, not Richard's, and anyone who could not respect it or her daughter was more than welcome to leave. Her mother's solidarity made Andy very thankful that she had at least one parent that loved her unconditionally.

"If Miranda sees you, she's going to kill you."

Andy jumped then relaxed at the familiar voice. "You really shouldn't sneak up on people like that, Mom. You could give me a heart…" Andy stopped before the word left her mouth completely.

Audrey looked at her daughter and smirked. "So ironic isn't it?"

"How so?"

"As a doctor, I personally took care of your father for years. I made sure he ate healthy, exercised. Hell, he didn't even drink when we were married. He was the last person I would have thought would have had a heart attack." Audrey said moving farther out onto the porch. She leaned against the railing and stared out over the spacious backyard with her daughter.

"You know you can't keep hiding out here." Audrey said snagging Andy's cigarette to take a long drag. Andy smirked and raised a questioning brow. Audrey shrugged her shoulders. "Your Aunt Clarice makes me what to break all of her bones… and **_not_** put them back into place."

Andy chuckled. "She's your sister-in-law, Mom."

"She's my ex-sister-in-law mind you. Part of me will always love her, but that doesn't mean I have to like her."

"Yeah, I know what you mean." She took the cigarette back. "I'm having a hard time with the questions about what happened between me and Dad."

Audrey glanced at her daughter for a moment and sighed. "So am I. Everyone seems to forget that we weren't actually husband and wife anymore. Your father was a good man when I married him, you know. I had never met a more loving soul. He loved me and he loved you and your brother, but things… changed and I realized we were better off being apart. Even though I still loved him, we weren't happy together."

"Because of me."

Audrey looked at her daughter and frowned. "Honey, is that what you think?"

Andy looked down and scuffed her shoe on the wooden porch. "Why wouldn't I? You two got a divorce after Dad and I started arguing."

Audrey reached out and took Andy's hand. "Oh honey, you weren't the reason Richard and I divorced. Sure, I made it no secret that I was furious about his treatment of you, but you weren't the root cause."

"Mom, I was there remember? You don't have to protect me."

"I'm not. And although you were there, you don't know everything that went on between your father and me. Richard and I had problems long before any of that." She snagged Andy's cigarette again. She flicked the ashes and took a long drag.

"You know, people say you find out if you really love your spouse when you have an empty nest because there's nothing left to focus on but each other. Well let me tell you, it's the truth. After you and Josh went off on your own, I knew. I knew I wasn't in love with Richard anymore but I stayed because it was just easier… It was comfortable." She handed the cigarette back and shrugged her shoulders. "We had nothing in common anymore. With you and your brother gone, there was no hiding that. So… I threw myself into my work and your father was left in the cold. That's my one regret. I owed him more than that. He deserved better."

"Please don't tell me you're making an excuse for him?"

"Of course not. I'm just saying that… he wasn't always that way. The man he became wasn't the man I fell in love with. That wasn't the father you and Josh grew up with. You know that. Your father adored you and you worshipped him when you were a kid. It really hurt him when he lost you."

"And you think it didn't hurt me?" Andy said, anger rising.

"I know it did, honey. I know better than most what that rift did to you. I'm just saying that… the people in Richard's life changed and he didn't. I don't think he knew how."

They stood in silence passing the cigarette between them.

"I don't know how to feel about him." She laughed mirthlessly. "There's a house full of people in there who know _exactly_ how they felt about _my_ father. Just about everyone in there thought he was the greatest guy in the world and they're outraged on his behalf because of me. Hell, even my own brother doesn't really understand what happened. I'm not sure I understand anymore." Andy said quietly.

"Look at me, Andrea. I want to tell you something." Audrey pulled her daughter's hand until they were face to face. "You didn't do anything wrong. However you choose to feel about your father is alright. You don't have to say, do, or be anything other than who you are. You have a beautiful family in there that adores you. It's your father's loss that he never got a chance to be a part of that."

A single tear managed to wiggle its way out of Andy's eye. Audrey gently wiped it away just as she had so many times when she was a little girl. "I for one am so glad that I did. I adore my grandchildren and I couldn't have chosen a better partner for you if I had done so myself."

Andy choked out a laugh. "You're saying you would have chosen Miranda… Miranda Priestly… even from the beginning?"

Audrey feigned ignorance. "I don't know what you mean by that? Miranda and I get along just fine."

"Umm… now you do. But if I recall correctly, you and your daughter-in-law didn't start out on such a good foot."

 

_-Flashback: 12 years ago-_

_After several months of dating, Miranda and Andy's relationship was stronger than ever and brought them both more happiness than either thought possible. It was also one of the worst kept secrets in New York City. There had been a few stories here and there speculating about their friendship and if there was more to it, but for the most part the couple had been ignored. Of course it had helped that a sex tape starring a very popular young starlet had been leaked and just about every celebrity heiress seemed to be going to jail for one reason or another recently. A picture of Miranda and Andy strolling in the park with the twins with Patricia in tow looking like a happy little nuclear family was just plain boring. But Andy was a journalist. She knew that sooner or later, the news fodder would slow and they would become a subject of interest again. She also knew she didn't want her parents to find out about her relationship with Miranda from a salacious article. So after a long discussion with Miranda and with great trepidation, she had sat alone on the sofa in her apartment and made the call. With little fanfare, she explained to her parents that she was indeed involved in a romantic relationship with her former extremely demanding employer, Miranda Priestly._

_Her father, of course was beyond reasonable. He had called everything from her judgment to her values into question and demanded that she leave that immoral city and return home immediately. When she refused, he had answered with his silence which was always his weapon of choice. That was just as bad as the yelling. Her mother on the other hand, was as usual the wildcard in the scenario. To Andy's surprise, her mother didn't seem all that concerned about the fact that her daughter was dating a woman. It was who the woman was that appeared to be the issue._

_After several weeks of tense phone calls, angry voice mails, and hurt feelings, all parties had agreed to come together to officially meet which is why Andy found herself sitting at a secluded table at Le Bernardin anxiously awaiting for the other parties to arrive. Andy had been unsure about dinning at such an expensive restaurant, but Miranda had pointed out that if she was to be grilled by her lover's angry parents she sure as hell was going to be grilled where she felt comfortable and could enjoy a good meal._

_Unfortunately, Miranda's latest second assistant had called and informed her that the editor was running late. Miranda was furious about it and had even sent two heartfelt apologies by text assuring Andy that she would be there soon. She had not wanted Andy to have to greet her parents alone. They had decided it would be best to present a united front from the beginning. So much for that plan. Andy's parents had just arrived at the table._

_Andy smiled tentatively and stood. "Hey Mom." She hugged her mother before turning to her father and kissing his cheek. "Dad."_

_"_ _Hello sweetheart." Her mother said giving her daughter the quick motherly once over. She had to admit that her daughter looked wonderful and of course she was impeccably dressed which seemed to irritate her knowing who had probably purchased the expensive ensemble. "You look lovely."_

_Andy blushed and smiled. "Thanks. You do too."_

_"_ _So, how was your flight?" Andy asked as they all took a seat._

_"_ _It was fine, although it wasn't really necessary for our seats to be upgraded to first class." Audrey said evenly eyeing her daughter. She knew she didn't need to say who was responsible for that either._

_Richard scoffed rudely as he looked around the posh restaurant. "Look at this place, Aud. Andy can't afford this. This is all_ _**that woman's** _ _doing. If she thinks throwing her money around is going to make us okay with this…"_

_"_ _Dad…"_

_"_ _I can assure you, Mr. Sachs that this is not me…as you said… throwing my money around." Miranda said with a lazy wave of the hand. "This is just me wishing to treat my partner's parents to a lovely meal. However, you are wrong about Andrea not being able to afford to dine here. She can and has on her own accord. She's doing quite well for herself at 'The Mirror' as well as freelance these days." She held his gaze for a long moment. "But I'm sure you already knew how brilliant your daughter is and of her many accomplishments."_

_Andy cleared her throat and rose from her seat. "Hi honey. I'm glad you're here."_

_Miranda's eyes immediately softened as she air-kissed her lover's cheeks. "I apologize for my tardiness, darling. The level of incompetence in my office is astounding and steadily rising."_

_"_ _It's okay. You're here now. That's all that matters." Andy turned to the other woman at the table and smiled. "Mom, this is Miranda. Miranda, this is my mother, Audrey and my father Richard Sachs."_

_As fake pleasantries were exchanged, Miranda looked into dark eyes that looked so much like her beloved Andrea's and nearly gasped. The older woman was quite stunning. It was obvious where Andrea had gotten her looks. She also saw those same fiercely inquisitive eyes sizing her up. She knew this was a formidable woman seated before her. She couldn't help but smirk. This might actually be fun._

_The dinner progressed with slightly stilted conversation about their various jobs and lives all while accompanied with periods of uncomfortable silences until Miranda had had enough and rolled her eyes with impatience. "Should we not go ahead and address the real reason we are all gathered here or shall we continue this farce of a dinner?"_

_"_ _Miranda, maybe we should just…" Andy said eyeing her parents._

_Miranda gave Andy's knee a gentle pat. "No. No. It's time, don't you think dear?"_

_"_ _I for one happen to agree." Audrey said placing her napkin on the table gracefully. Her eyes were focused on Miranda's. If looks could kill, Miranda would have exploded into a million pieces in that moment. "I think we've beaten around the bush long enough. What exactly are you doing with my daughter?"_

_Miranda bit back the initial sarcastic remark that came to mind and smiled. Her lover's mother would never be the same if she knew_ _**exactly** _ _what she did with her young, nubile daughter… nearly every night._

_Andy saw Miranda smile and cringed. She recognized it as the terrifying crocodile grin that usually meant that Miranda was about to pounce on her latest prey._

_"_ _I believe that we have already established that I am in a relationship with Andrea." Miranda said deciding on the diplomatic answer._

_"_ _You call this… this… abomination a relationship?" Richard spat gesturing to Miranda and his daughter._

_Miranda only gave him a slight glance before returning her eyes to Audrey's. It was obvious to her that she was the more intelligent parent. "Your daughter and I are both consenting adults. We are both of sound minds and involved in a mutual romantic relationship. What could possibly make our involvement an abomination?"_

_"_ _She's just a toy to you!" He hissed angrily. "You've turned our daughter into a…a…"_

_"_ _Take care how you speak of Andrea." Miranda said as her eyes narrowed to sharp slits of blue glass. "She may very well be your daughter, but she is the woman that I love and no one will disparage her reputation in my presence. No one."_

_Richard's face was red with anger. It was obvious that he wasn't used to being spoken to in such a way. He glared at Andy. "What has gotten into you?"_

_Andy was sitting completely still. No one at the table other than Miranda would ever know that tonight was the first time the editor had ever said she loved her. Sure, Miranda showed it in a million small gestures and intimate touches, but to actually hear the words was something wonderful. Maybe that was why Miranda chose this moment. Maybe she knew Andy would need to hear it most right then. She smiled softly. Miranda loved her and that was all that mattered. With a calm voice, she turned and addressed her angry father._

_"_ _Nothing has gotten into me, Dad. I met someone who cares about me, supports me, and makes me happy. What is wrong with me being happy?"_

_Richard shook his head and glared at his wife. "I knew it was a mistake to allow her to move here. If you had just agreed with me instead of filling her head with nonsense, she'd have a law degree from Stanford and be practicing law back home where she belongs."_

_Andy's stiffened. Miranda immediately recognized the change in her lover's posture. She knew they were about to be reintroduced to Andrea's extremely obstinate side. Secretly, Miranda was excited to see this particular Andrea arrive._

_"_ _Allow me? Excuse me."_

_"_ _You've proven that you are incapable of making sound decisions, Andy. You gave up Stanford Law for some pipe dream of being a journalist." He turned an angry glare in Miranda's direction. "And just look what you've gotten yourself into now."_

_Audrey was about to speak when Andy held up a hand stopping her mother. Her back was as straight as an iron rod. She never took her eyes off of her father. "First of all, you don't_ _**allow** _ _me to do anything. I'm twenty-eight years old, Dad. I've been living completely on my own for years now. I have a great job that I'm very good at. So, pipe dream or not… I did become a journalist just like I said I would. I may be your child, but I am far from being a child. What I choose to do with my life and who I choose to spend it with… is my choice and mine alone. Let's just be clear about that."_

_"_ _This is all your doing. This is your influence on her." He hissed at Miranda._

_Miranda tilted her head and smirked at her lover. "Oh believe me, if I could take credit for such magnificence, I would."_

_Not liking the look passing between this woman and his daughter, Richard tossed his napkin on the table as he stood. "I've had enough of this nonsense. I don't care what you say. This woman does not care about you. You're just a play thing to her. When you've come to your senses, you know where your home is. I'm done. Let's go, Audrey."_

_Miranda and Andy's gazes shifted to the other woman still seated across from them. "I'll meet you back at the hotel shortly, Richard."_

_Miranda raised a brow in surprise when the woman didn't offer more of an explanation to her husband. They were an interesting pair she thought._

_Richard shook his head and stormed out of the restaurant. Andy huffed in frustration and ran her fingers through her hair and waited for more of the same from her mother._

_"_ _You must excuse my husband. He's not much of a conversationalist." Audrey said smoothly._

_If it wasn't such a tense moment, Miranda would have laughed. "And you are?"_

_Audrey smiled and Andy cringed again. It was the terrifying smile she remembered from her childhood. It could have rivaled Miranda's. Unbeknownst to others, this was why Andy was never really afraid of Miranda when she worked at RUNWAY. She'd grown up with Audrey Westin-Sachs, M.D. Audrey frightened and terrorized her medical interns just as Miranda did the same to her assistants and clackers. Andy sighed and prepared for round two._

_"_ _I'd like to think so. Don't get me wrong, Mrs. Priestly. I don't like you and I won't sit here and pretend to. But… I have questions and unlike my husband, I know that I won't get them if I storm out of here in anger."_

_The two women stared one another down. "How astute of you. Very well. Ask away."_

_"_ _What are you doing with my daughter?" Audrey asked again._

_"_ _I'm not a person who likes repeating myself, but I will indulge this because you are Andrea's mother. As I have already stated, I am in a relationship with Andrea because I care very deeply for her and I enjoy her company."_

_"_ _You've been divorced twice already and you're closer to my age than hers, how do you know this isn't some kind of mid-life crisis?"_

_"_ _Mom…"_

_Miranda placed a gentle hand over Andrea's before she could interrupt further. "Besides the fact that neither of them were Andrea, I divorced my ex-husbands because we no longer loved one another." Miranda glanced at Andy and smiled a genuine smile. "As for the mid-life crisis part, I'm not sure. But if it is… I hope I can remain in this crisis for the rest of my life."_

_That's when Audrey saw it. There was a soft almost serene look that crossed the editor's face when she looked at her daughter. The look was so intimate, Audrey found herself needing to glance away. "You love her?"_

_It was more of a statement rather than a question, but Miranda answered none the less._

_Miranda turned and gave Audrey her complete attention. "Mrs. Sachs, there are only three people in this world that I would subject myself to having my values questioned and treated in such a manner as I have this evening. Two of those people are my daughters. The other is Andrea."_

_Miranda could see the older woman trying to work things out in her head. She figured if this would make her Andrea's life easier, it would be worth it._

_"_ _I am a mother as well, Mrs. Sachs. I can only imagine how you must feel about all of this. Considering all of what you know of me is likely what has been written about me in the press or how Andrea may have described me when she worked for me. I can assure you that most of it is probably true. I am demanding, arrogant, and often difficult to deal with. I often wonder what she could possibly see in me."_

_Miranda felt Andrea's hand slip into her own. She gave it a gentle squeeze._

_"_ _But I can tell you what I see in her. You've managed to raise a caring, compassionate, intelligent woman who is just as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside. I am extremely humbled that she has chosen to share her heart with me. I know you and your husband have reservations and rightly so. As much as I would like to give you a guarantee, I cannot. What I can give you is my word that no harm will ever come to your daughter if I can help it. That's all."_

_Audrey simply nodded and looked at her daughter for a long moment. "You're really happy?"_

_Andy glanced at Miranda lovingly and took her hand. She flashed a mega-watt smile at her mother and nodded. "I really am, Mom. She makes me happy."_

_Audrey sighed and took a sip of her wine. "Well alright. I guess we'll see just how serious you are about keeping your word then, Ms. Priestly."_

_Miranda smirked at how the woman said her name with a little less disdain. "Please… call me, Miranda."_

 

"Alright, so we might have had a bit of a rocky start." Audrey laughed. "But you have to give me a break. My only impression of Miranda Priestly was based solely on what you had told me about her when you worked for her. How did you expect me to react? My only daughter was dating the 'Devil in Prada', not to mention she was only a few years younger than me. I think I showed more restraint that anyone in my position."

"Certainly better than Dad, that's for sure." Andy smirked. "We've come a long way since that day. I don't think I ever thanked you for what you said as you left the restaurant that night. You said, 'disagreement does not mean disappointment'. You have no idea what that meant to me."

"Oh honey, I may have been disappointed for you at times… but never in you."

"I appreciate how you stood by me. You know, I've used that phrase a few times myself when the girls got older and they started making their own decisions… and mistakes. That's the hardest thing about being a parent isn't it; standing by and allowing them to make their own choices."

"Oh yes. I really didn't like you being with Miranda at the time. I thought you were making a mistake. I didn't have much faith in you two back then, but it was your choice to make not mine. Besides, Miranda proved me wrong. There was no denying that she adored you. As time went on, I could see the depth of her love for you. And as a mother, that's all I ever really wanted for you. I just had to get over myself." She laughed. "It's strange. I really can't imagine you with anyone else now."

Andy smiled fondly. "Me either."

They both turned their heads at the sound of the screen door opening. Andy quickly stuffed the cigarette butt down into the flower-pot soil beside her before fully turning to face her wife.

"Darling, Alexander has fallen asleep and Cassidy has been constantly on her phone. Now she's complaining about her brother's drool on her shirt. Not to mention, Caroline is being… well Caroline." Miranda said with a frown drawing a laugh from Andy.

"Well, we should probably go before someone gets emotionally scarred then." She said glancing at her watch. "It's getting kind of late anyway."

Audrey stepped closer and hugged Andy tightly. "I'll see you in the morning then, baby." She moved over and gave Miranda a quick peck on the cheek. "Kiss the kids for me and drive safely."

"I will. Good night, Audrey."

"You too, Miranda."

Andy reached out and took Miranda by the hand leading her back into the house. Audrey watched them go. They moved together with the familiarity that came from years of being together.

"That's what you always wanted for her Richard. Too bad you didn't realize she had already found it." She said softly to herself.

"Do I smell smoke, Andrea?"

"Huh… smoke? What smoke?"

"Andrea…"

Audrey laughed softly as Miranda's warning voice drifted away.

 

 


	6. Chapter 6

 

"Is everyone down for the night?" Andy asked from her place on the bed.

Miranda slipped off her robe and climbed into bed. "Almost. Alex was asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow and I think all the traveling finally got to Caroline."

"So that leaves Cass. She's still the night owl huh? Some things never change."

Miranda fluffed her pillow before lying down. She propped up on her elbow facing Andy. "Something's going on with her."

Andy took off her reading glasses and tossed her magazine aside giving Miranda her undivided attention. "What do you mean?"

"Have you noticed that Cassidy has been on her phone either texting or checking her messages the entire time she's been here?"

Andy snorted. "What's new about that? Both of our girls have been phone crazy since they were twelve."

"I don't know. She's blushing and smiling all the time. I think she's seeing someone."

"Again… what's new about that? Cass has never been shy. She's had more boyfriends and girlfriends than I can count."

"That's just the thing. Cassidy has always been so blasé about dating. When she told us that she liked girls as well as boys, she did it over dinner like she was telling us about her day."

Miranda paused and rolled over on her back. She stared at the ceiling as she pulled on her fingers; a nervous habit from childhood she had never been able to break.

"I've kept an eye on her the past few months. Something is different about her. She never talks about going out with anyone or meeting someone new anymore. And every time that blessed phone goes off, she looks at it and blushes. Cassidy does not blush. I'm telling you. She's seeing some and it's serious."

Miranda noticed that Andy had gone quiet. She looked over at her wife and raised a brow. "What do you know?"

Andy laughed nervously. "Wha… I… I don't know anything."

"Andrea, you do realize that you are a dreadful liar and most importantly you cannot lie to me. So… what do you know?"

"Baby… you know I love you and I would love to tell you, but…" She cringed.

"So, it's true? She is seeing someone. Who is it?"

Andy bit her lip. "Cassidy begged me not to talk to you about it."

Blue eyes bore into brown. She sat up and sniffed. "You would keep a secret from me about our daughters?"

"Miranda, you know that I would never keep anything from you about the girls if it was serious. It's not even really a secret. Cassidy just wants to tell you herself. She promised she would when the time was right."

They both stared at one another, Andy giving Miranda her most innocent doe eyed look. Miranda sighed and flopped back on her pillow. "Can you at least tell me if it's someone of which I will approve?"

"She didn't tell me who it was, I swear. She just told me that she'd met a very special woman and that she was serious about her. I think she's really in love."

Miranda groaned and put her arm over her eyes. "I thought I was done worrying over their dating escapades when they grew up and moved out. Now one of my babies is talking about love. She's too young to be talking about love. She's probably just infatuated with this person."

"She's only a few years younger than I was when I fell in love with you." Andy said wisely. "And what I felt was much more than infatuation."

"I know." Miranda sighed. "But love can break her heart beyond repair, Andrea."

Andy moved over and straddled her wife's hips before leaning in for a gentle kiss. "Love is also when the heart can bloom and be filled with indescribable joy. Love can grow in the most unlikely situations and make all of your dreams come true; just look at us. I want Cassidy to find what we found. So, if this… woman is the one, then we can rejoice in her happiness. If she's not, then we will be there for Cass and help her through the heartache. But we can't prevent it. Falling in love is a part of life and it's one of the best parts. I don't want her to ever be afraid to fall in love. It's what makes life worth living."

Miranda sat up and pulled Andy close. The kiss that followed was a kiss of love and devotion. "You don't play fair. You always did have a way with words."

Andy grinned and pushed Miranda back and found her place between Miranda's thighs. "You always told me to use all of my abilities to the fullest. I'm just following your sage advice."

Miranda smirked. "Really now? Care to share any of more of your talents this evening?"

Andy's only answer was a mischievous grin and a kiss that would lead to a lovemaking session long into the night.

 

* * *

 

Miranda woke up to a sound that she loved and had missed hearing for quite a while. She pulled on her robe and made her way out into the living room area and found all three of her children giggling. Alex was trying to teach his older sisters how to work the controls on his new gaming system. They were all still in pajamas with bed-head and Miranda thought it was the most precious sight.

"Good morning, my darlings." Miranda said kissing each of her kids on the head as she passed the sofa.

"Morning Mom." Came a chorus of greetings.

"I see you three have already put that thing to use."

"Yeah. It's actually pretty sweet. I am so getting one of these when I get back to school." Cassidy said trying to keep her race car on the road.

Miranda smirked and shook her head. Making her way across the room, she was pleasantly surprised to see a carafe of coffee with warm croissants and fruit already on a cart. She and Andy's activities the previous night had lasted until the early morning and she had to admit that she was a little tired and famished.

"Whoever ordered breakfast is now my favorite off-spring."

Caroline laughed. "Well, I guess we have a new sibling then."

Miranda simply raised a brow as she sipped the piping hot coffee.

"The front desk called up and said your assistant Keisha had it pre-ordered. Moms said she was good."

"Mmmm." Miranda took a bite of the fresh cantaloupe then placed some fruit and a croissant on a small plate.

"When are you going to tell her that she's getting the job a million girls would die for by making her your new executive assistant when you take over as the new chair?"

"We will see." Miranda said settling across the room to read the paper. Cassidy elbowed her sister, giving her the Priestly glare."

Caroline shrugged her shoulders. Cassidy rolled her eyes and went back to the game while Caroline took her own coffee and joined her mother across the room.

"I heard Moms leave about an hour ago. She go for a run?"

"Unfortunately no. She and your grandmother needed to take care of some last-minute details for the funeral tomorrow."

Caroline bit her lip. "Mom?"

"Yes, Bobbsey."

"How is she… really? I mean… she's still Moms, but she's been a little… quiet too."

Miranda finally looked up from her paper and over the rim of her glasses. "Andrea just lost her father, Caroline. We mustn't expect her to be the life of the party at all times, darling. She's going to have down moments."

Caroline rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean, Mom. It's like… she's pretending like we're just here for a visit… like it's not even happening."

Miranda made sure Alex was still preoccupied with his sister before she continued. "Andrea is handling this as well as one would expect under these circumstances. Losing a parent can be very difficult, especially when one has a relationship as complicated as Andrea had with her father. You are very lucky that you haven't had to go through that."

"Trust me, I know. Dad may be a jerk sometimes, but at least he's never been a complete douche like Mr. Sachs."

Miranda's eyes widened. "Caroline! Language."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to speak ill of the dead and all." She apologized obviously not meaning it.

"Despite what you may think you know I assure you that there was more to the story. Things are never simply black and white, Caroline."

"Yeah well… Cass and I knew a lot more that you and Moms ever thought we did." Caroline said remembering a night a long time ago.

 

_-Flashback 12 Years Ago- One Friday Evening_

_Caroline and Cassidy waved goodbye to Roy and slowly dragged themselves through the back door with their soccer gear. They promptly dropped it on the floor of the laundry room and mentally promised to take care of it later… or at least before Miranda saw it. It had been a long and hard practice and they were both ready for a hot shower and food. They headed up the first flight of stairs and heard a familiar voice. They both grinned. Their Andy was here. In the year since their mother had begun dating the younger woman, the twins had grown quite fond of her. Andy had proven to be completely different from all the other people their mother had previously dated. Andy was genuinely nice, almost too nice. She could always tell them apart and never talked down to them. She paid attention and listened when they talked. She simply treated them like people and not accessories to their mother. Somewhere during the past year, they had fallen in love with her and had decided to keep her._

_Even though Andy and their mother had been dating for 'like ever' as the twin's often said, they still didn't live together. Andy still had her own apartment across town but stayed over several nights a week, sometimes all week if the Priestly women could talk her into it…and they could. The girls had started placing bets on how much longer it would be before Andy finally got over herself and moved in with them. They knew their mother wanted her to. Miranda had even asked their opinions on the matter. They didn't know what the big deal was. Grown-ups were so weird._

_When they rounded the corner, they could hear Andy's voice more clearly coming from the study. She was talking to someone on the phone. They were about to go inside when they heard something in Andy's voice that gave them pause. Her voice cracked and it sounded so sad. Cassidy placed her hand on her sister's arm and held her in place as they listened from behind the door._

_"_ _No. We've already talked about this. I love Miranda and we're going to be together. That won't change. She's asked me to move in and I said yes. You had to know this was going to happen." Andy said pacing._

_The twins watched with great interest, trying to figure out who was on the other end of the call and what they were saying to make their Andy so upset. Why would Andy be crying about moving in with them? It didn't make sense._

_"_ _Dad, please try to listen to what I'm saying."_

_Cassidy's eyes widened. "That's Andy's dad."_

_"_ _Shh… listen." Caroline said._

_"_ _I've already spoken to Mom and she understands. Why can't you?" Andy held the phone to her ear as she looked out the large window. "Because I love her. I don't know how many times or ways I can say that. I love her and I love her daughters as if they were my own. I won't apologize for that."_

_"_ _She's talking about us." Caroline whispered._

_"_ _Don't you ever say that about them…ever! They are my family too!" Andy practically yelled._

_Cassidy and Caroline saw Andy turn away from the window and make her way back towards the center of the room. They could see tears on her face._

_"_ _Dad, please… please don't turn this into a choice between them and you. Please."_

_There was a long pause._

_"_ _Because I will choose them, Dad. You're not hearing me. No matter what you say, I still love them. They are my family and I won't give them up. I can't."_

_Cassidy and Caroline both gasped._

_Andy sighed heavily and sat down on the sofa. "I guess we understand one another then. I just wish you could… Dad?... Dad?"_

_The girls watched Andy slowly place her phone on the coffee table. She sat there just staring at it for a long moment before she started to cry._

_Cassidy looked at her sister, silently communicating in their usual twin speak. Cassidy shifted her eyes towards the crying brunette and Caroline shook her head. She knew that they were not supposed to overhear that conversation. They silently climbed the stairs to the next floor and slipped into Caroline's room, closing the door behind them._

_"_ _What the hell was that?" Cassidy whispered._

_Caroline sighed and flopped down on her bed. "You're not stupid, Cass. You know what's up."_

_"_ _That's why Andy always tenses up when we ask about her dad. He must totally hate us." Cassidy replied._

_"_ _It's more than just that. It sounded like he wanted her make a choice."_

_"_ _Yeah, him or us."_

_"_ _And she chose us."_

_They sat on Caroline's bed in silence for a long moment trying to make sense of all they'd heard. Caroline was the first to speak._

_"_ _We can't let Andy know that we heard that."_

_"_ _What? Why not? She's crying. We should go try to make her feel better or something… shouldn't we?" Cassidy asked._

_Caroline shook her head. "It will only make her feel worse. You know Andy. She will feel like she needs to apologize for her dad being a jerk. I don't want her to feel bad. Besides… if she changes her mind, we can act like we never knew."_

_Cassidy's eyes bucked. "Changes her mind?!"_

_"_ _Shhh! Be quiet!"_

_Cassidy lowered her voice. "Why would she change her mind? That would totally kill Mom!"_

_Caroline shrugged her shoulders. "I don't think she will. You heard her. She said we were her family and that she loves us. I'm just saying… we can make sure Andy knows how much we love her too. That way, she never has to know and she won't want to leave us."_

_Cassidy thought for a moment then nodded. "Ok. So the plan is…"_

_"_ _We make sure Andy never regrets choosing us… ever."_

_Cassidy nodded again. "Ok. Let's go shower then find Andy. We know she's moving in, but we can ask her to stay over for a movie night like we don't know."_

_"_ _Deal."_

 

"Neither of you ever said anything." Miranda said softly.

"What were we supposed to say? Hey, Andy I'm sorry your dad hates us but thanks for choosing us." Caroline said sadly. "He made her choose and that wasn't fair. She lost her dad because she loved us."

Miranda tossed her paper aside and pulled Caroline into her lap. "Come here, Bob. I wish you two hadn't overheard that."

"For a long time after that… we were so afraid that she'd change her mind and leave. A part of me didn't want to love her… because I knew it would hurt that much worse if she ever did change her mind."

Miranda shook her head at how much Caroline reminded her of herself; such a soft heart underneath a hard shell and slow to trust. "I felt the same way for a while, but I also trusted Andrea. Your mother promised that she would never leave and she never did."

"No one should ever have to make a choice like that." Caroline said softly. "You love who you love. You can't help that."

"I agree. I hate that Andrea was forced to make that choice, but I thank god that she chose us every single day. It's also the reason why I never let a day go by without letting her know just how much we loved her for it." Miranda said kissing Caroline's head. "And just so you know, Andrea and I would never make you, your sister, or your brother make a choice like that. We love you all… unconditionally. Always know that."

Cassidy watched her sister and mother across the room. In tune with her sister as always, she met Caroline's gaze and nodded. She smiled at Miranda and mouthed 'I love you' before going back to her game.

 

* * *

 

"So is that it?" Andy asked quietly as they left the funeral home. All the arrangements were finished and the final touches had been made to the obituary.

"I think so. Your father's lawyer called. He needs to meet with you about Richard's estate following the funeral tomorrow. Are you planning to come back to the house today?"

"Maybe later. There's a new art exhibit at the museum Caroline wants to see so we will probably go there to give Miranda some time to work in peace. I might take them by my old high school too, nothing special. I just want to spend as much time with them as I can while I have them all together, you know?"

Audrey nodded in understanding. "Your brother's flight will be here at one." Audrey said eyeing her daughter. "He said he was really looking forward to seeing you."

Andy nodded. "I want to see him too. I just hope he's willing to keep an open mind this time. I'm really not in the mood for another fight about the past."

Audrey drew her oldest child into a hug and held her tight. "Just remember what I said. You get to feel however you want to feel about all of this. You did nothing wrong." She pulled back and looked her in the eyes. "And I think it's about time that you stop being the bad guy too. Joshua is a grown man and he deserves to know the truth about his father just like the rest of us. You don't have to always be the big sister and play protector anymore."

Andy smiled sadly and started back to the car. "Of course, I do. That's my job." She said over her shoulder.

 

* * *

 

Following breakfast, Caroline and Alex had gone off to their respective rooms to shower and prepare for the day. Cassidy had just finished putting Alex's gaming system away when she sat down and checked her phone messages again. Miranda wandered out of her room and watched her for a moment.

"Shouldn't you be getting ready for your outing with Andrea? She will be back to pick you all up shortly."

Cassidy jumped slightly and quickly slipped her phone into the pocket of her robe. "I'm just waiting for Carrie to finish in the shower. You know she's a total water hog."

Miranda smirked before crossing over to the sofa and taking a seat. She looked intently at her oldest child. "Would like to tell me anything, Cassidy?"

Cassidy groaned and fell back against the sofa. "You know, don't you?"

"Is there something that I should know?"

"I should have known Moms would never be able to keep a secret from you. She told you that I was seeing someone, didn't she?"

"Actually, your mother told me nothing. I figured it out myself actually. It wasn't exactly difficult considering you've had your eyes on that phone nearly every moment since you've been here."

Cassidy blushed when she realized she was again holding her phone in her hands. "Sorry about that."

Miranda tilted her head. "Cassidy Anne, I don't believe I've ever given you reason to think I would be anything other than open-minded about anyone you chose to spend time with. Why is this situation any different?"

Cassidy bit her lip before meeting her mother's eyes. Miranda's breath caught in her chest at the look of pure love she saw in her daughter's eyes.

"Because… it just is."

Miranda's eyes softened and she smiled warmly. "You love her."

Cassidy sighed and nodded. "Very much."

"Then tell me about her."

"She's gorgeous… and smart, so smart. She graduated from NYU last year. She's into the whole art and fashion thing like you and Carrie. She's kind and funny. She makes me feel like I can do anything and she's always pushing me to work harder. She's just… amazing. She's the most incredible woman I've ever met, Mom."

Miranda's heart melted as her daughter gushed about this new woman in her life. She took Cassidy's hand into her own and squeezed it. "She sounds quite lovely. I would very much like to meet this person that means so much to you."

Cassidy took a deep breath and met her mother's gaze. "Well… you kinda… already know her."

Miranda raised a brow.

"Her name is… Keisha."

Miranda sat still for a moment trying to recall the name. Cassidy rolled her eyes. "Keisha Norwood… she's… your assistant."

Miranda opened her mouth to speak but no words came. It was one of the few times in Miranda Priestly's life that she was completely speechless.

"Mom? Say something… please." Cassidy said worriedly.

"Umm…."

"Please don't fire her. Keisha loves that job and she's great at it. Please, Mom. She had no idea who I was when we met."

Finally able to somewhat gather her thoughts, Miranda cleared her throat. "How did this come about?"

Cassidy paused and released a slow breath. It didn't look like her mother was angry. She just seemed surprised which was a positive sign.

"Well… I met her at the RUNWAY Masquerade Gala last year. I know it sounds cliché but I saw her across the room and there was just something about her. I knew I had to meet her. I waited until she was alone at the bar and approached her. We both had on masks and she wasn't working that night so there was no way either of us would have known the other's identity. We talked like… all night. I had this feeling... you know, like I couldn't wait for the next word out of her mouth."

Miranda found herself nodding. She knew exactly what that felt like. She'd felt that way about her wife for years.

"I asked her out and she agreed… until the masks came off at the end of the night. That's when she realized who I was. You can guess how that went." Cassidy said rolling her eyes.

Miranda hid a smirk. "I can imagine."

"Once she realized I was your daughter, she freaked and said that she couldn't see me. She said it would be highly inappropriate and she was worried about what you would think."

"I'm assuming you didn't take no for an answer." Miranda said knowing her willful daughter.

"I'm a Priestly after all."

"Touché."

"I pursued her until she gave me a shot and… it's been amazing, Mom. I love her."

Miranda took a deep breath and sat back against the sofa. She was quiet for so long, Cassidy began to worry.

"Mom? Mom, what are you thinking?"

Miranda sniffed haughtily. "I'm wondering how my assistant and my daughter managed to carry on a yearlong affair under my nose without me being aware."

"That was my idea. Keisha wanted to tell you. Please tell me you're not going to fire her. Keisha will be devastated."

"And if I was… to fire her?"

Cassidy's stomach rolled and she felt ill. "I'd beg you not to and promise not to see her again. I'd give you my word if you'd allow her to keep her job."

Miranda raised a brow. "You'd do that? Why?"

"Because she loves her job. It makes her happy and… I love her." Cassidy said as tears filled her eyes. "So… if that means I have to stay away from her for her to be happy that's what I will do."

Miranda smiled a genuine smile. She looked at her headstrong daughter and felt immense pride. She had finally grown up in every sense of the word. She reached out and caressed Cassidy's cheek. "I'm very proud of you, Cassidy."

Cassidy's head jerked up in confusion. "What?"

"You would be willing to sacrifice your own happiness to ensure the happiness of the one you love. That takes maturity and a depth of love that many never have the opportunity to experience. I hope she is worthy of this devotion."

"She is. Like I said, she wanted to tell you from the beginning and she offered to quit so she could see me properly, but I wouldn't let her. I was hoping she wouldn't have to." Cassidy said nervously.

Miranda chuckled and pulled Cassidy in for a hug. "No one is going to be fired, darling. Keisha's employment is secure at the moment. As you know, finding competent assistants has been a lifelong struggle for me. I would not dare fire the best assistant I've had in years because she has impeccable taste in women."

"So you admit it? She is the best assistant you've ever had?" Cassidy grinned.

Miranda sniffed and rolled her eyes.

Cassidy laughed and kissed her mother's cheek. "Thanks Mom."

"What I don't understand is why you felt you had to keep this from me, Bobbsey." Miranda said feeling a little hurt. "I've told you time and time again that you could come to me about anything."

Cassidy shrugged her shoulders. "You've fired assistants for getting your coffee order wrong, Mom. I didn't know how you'd handle finding out an assistant was sharing your daughter's bed."

Miranda closed her eyes for a moment and held up a hand. "I want you to come to me about anything, but let's leave the… bedroom out of it for the time being. I'm not sure I'm ready for that yet."

Cassidy laughed. "Sorry."

"It's quite alright."

"It was never about trusting you, Mom. I just wanted to tell you when I was sure. I needed to be sure that what I was feeling was for real."

"And are you certain now?"

Cassidy nodded without hesitation. "Yes. She's the one, Mom."

Miranda sighed and nodded. "Well alright then. I suppose you should invite 'New Gi…' I meant… Keisha over for dinner soon. I'd like to be introduced to her properly… as your mother."

Cassidy beamed. "Of course. I'll… I'll call and let her know."

"Do that." Miranda said giving her a pat on the knee before getting up. "You should go get ready. Your mother will be back soon for your outing."

Cassidy stood and headed towards her room. She stopped abruptly and turned back around. Before Miranda knew what hit her, she was nearly lifted off the ground with a bone crushing embrace. Cassidy kissed her cheek. "I love you, Mom."

Miranda caressed her cheek gently. "Oh. I love you too, Bob. Always."

Cassidy stepped back and flashed a brilliant smile before rushing off to the other room. Miranda stood in the middle of the room and stared at the now closed-door. She smiled sadly. Her daughter was all grown up and in love. She felt elated and a little sad at the same time. A buzzing noise on the sofa drew her attention. She looked down and saw Cassidy had left her phone behind. She glanced at the screen and smiled devilishly.

"Hello Keisha… how lovely of you to call."

 

* * *

 

"That one looks kinda weird." Alex said tilting his head to the side as if the new angle would make the particular sculpture they were looking at would make more sense. "Is it supposed to look like that?"

"Yes."

"It doesn't make any sense though. It looks nothing like what the sign says."

Cassidy and Andy both snorted with amusement and moved on to another piece leaving them behind. Caroline rolled her eyes at the two and ruffled her brother's hair. "It doesn't have to, little brother. That's the beauty of art. It's all about perception and our interpretation."

Alex shrugged his shoulders. "If you say so."

"You should listen to your sister, young man. She seems to know what she's talking about." A voice said from behind them.

Alex and Caroline turned to find a pretty African-American woman with a friendly smile standing behind them. Caroline's eyes zoomed in on the official museum ID badge attached to the stranger's jacket.

"Your sister is right. Art really is about perception and interpretation, but it's also about expression as well. Art can provide a means to express the imagination in non-grammatical ways. In art, one is not tied to the formality of spoken or written language."

Alex frowned adorably at the piece. "It's still ugly."

Caroline and the woman laughed.

"Well that explains why Moms and I are completely lost. Journalists are all about the written language." Cassidy added walking up to the group.

The woman turned and blinked when she saw what looked like an exact replica of the young woman she was speaking with. Caroline and Cassidy both grinned. People's reactions to seeing them together never really got old.

"Hi. I'm Caroline and this my sister, Cassidy and this big guy is our brother, Alex."

The woman smiled. "Well, welcome to the Cincinnati Museum of the Arts. I'm one of the curators here. I'm Lil…"

"Lily Thomas." They all turned to see Andy staring at the stranger with a look of surprise.

Andy couldn't believe her eyes. There standing before her was an older version of her former best friend; the friend she had not seen in years.

Caroline noticed that the woman appeared shocked as well.

"Andy. Wow. Hi."

The three siblings stood just off to the side and watched their mother and this stranger simply staring at one another. What surprised them even more was that their very tactile mother held out her hand for a handshake, purposely avoiding an embrace.

"Hello Lily." Andy said evenly holding out her hand.

Lily blinked and glanced down at the outstretched hand. She frowned slightly but accepted the handshake. Looking back into familiar brown eyes, she found them blank. Her eyes shifted to the three people standing a few feet away and started to make the connection.

Andy watched her friend's face carefully as recognition of what she was seeing dawned. Lily was still smiling, but there was a slight flinch before she could cover it. Andy had lived with Miranda Priestly long enough to catch even the smallest of things.

"Do you two… know each other, Moms?" Cassidy asked taking a step closer to her mother.

Andy smiled softly at her children. "This is Lillian Thomas. She and I grew up together actually." She glanced back at Lily. "Lily, this is my son Alexander. I believe you might remember my daughters, Caroline and Cassidy."

The kids all took turns shaking hands with their mother's friend. Cassidy and Caroline shared a quick glance. They could feel the undercurrent of more going on and nodded. Cassidy quickly provided a distraction.

"Hey, Alex how about we let Caroline finish telling us about all these weird things made by dead people. If we both learn something, I'm sure Moms will take us for pizza at her favorite place. Right Moms?"

Andy winked at her daughter, thankful for her perceptiveness. "Sure, whatever you guys want."

Alex shrugged his shoulders. "Cool. I'm always up for pizza. We just can't tell Mom, right?"

"Well duh. Of course not."

Cassidy gave her mother a quick squeeze on the forearm before leading her siblings down the corridor.

"Wow. They are still as identical as I remember them being in the papers. It's like they're mirror images."

Andy tilted her head slightly and shook her head. "Nah, they're really nothing alike. You just have to know what to look for."

Lily simply nodded. "I guess you would know, being their mother and all."

Andy just nodded.

"Well, he certainly looks like you. I had no idea you had a son."

Andy kept an eye on the three people slowly making their way around the corner. "Why would you? We haven't seen one another in what… thirteen years?"

Lily had the decency to look away in embarrassment. "Yeah. It's been a long time. I uh… heard about your dad. I'm sorry. He was a good guy."

Andy bristled slightly and tried changing the subject. "Thanks. So… you're the curator here now?"

"Yeah. I'm in charge of American sculpture and drawings as you can see. There are other curators for the other departments."

"I thought you wanted to own your own gallery back in New York?"

"I did, but it just didn't pan out." She shrugged her shoulders. "Things changed so… "

"You changed." Andy supplied with a hint of sarcasm. "Imagine that."

They stared at one another for a long moment, so many things unspoken.

"Hey, it was really good seeing you Lily but we should be going. I promised the kids that we'd spend the day doing whatever they wanted so…"

Lily shook her head. "So that's it? We've known each other all of our lives and I get a handshake and 'it was good to see you?'"

Andy blanched in disbelief. "You haven't spoken to me in years, Lily. What do you expect from me?"

"I don't know, more than a handshake. We used to be best friends."

"You're right. We used to be, but you're the one who wouldn't take my calls. You're the one who decided our friendship wasn't worth saving. That was you, not me remember?"

"There was more to the story than that, Andy."

"Oh you're right. I'm sorry that I broke up with **_my_** boyfriend and moved on with **_my_** life. The past is over and done with and quite frankly I don't care anymore."

Lily snorted. "I guess I was hoping that if I ever saw you again, it would be the real Andy Sachs in front of me. I guess I still don't know who you are…even after all this time."

Andy found herself laughing softly. "God, all these years and you're still harping on that. When are you going to realize that this is the real me? It always has been. I can't help that you didn't like what you saw."

"You changed Andy. You changed and you know it."

"Of course I changed! We all changed, even you. You're supposed to change as you get older in life."

"But that wasn't just about life. You let RUNWAY take over your entire world. You dropped your friends and Nate like..."

Andy held up her hand. "Let me stop you before we even go down that road. Maybe I didn't have time to hang out with my friends and maybe I'm even guilty of neglecting Nate, but I had a job. Maybe it was a job you didn't like, but it was still my job. Nate and I broke up. Did my job help things along?" She shrugged her shoulders. "I'm sure it did. What's funny is that no one ever complained when he worked late or had to cancel at the last-minute."

"Nate was never obsessed with his boss." Lilly said folding her arms.

Andy laughed humorlessly and shook her head. "It's always going to come back to Miranda, isn't it? Despite what you or anyone else thinks, there was nothing going on between Miranda and me when I worked for her. She wasn't the problem between Nate and me. What Nate wanted wasn't who I was, so we went our separate ways. It's just that simple. It happens to couples all the time. Last time I heard anything about Nate, Doug said he'd found someone and he had moved back home. So apparently, he got over it. I got over it. The question is why you didn't?"

Andy met her dark eyes and was surprised to find no anger there. If she wasn't mistaken, it looked almost like guilt.

"You hurt him, Andy. He never really got over you."

Andy tilted her head slightly at the statement. She eyed her old friend. "Well… that's really unfortunate for him then because it's been years, Lily… years! We were high school sweethearts and… so incredibly young. Thinking back on it now, I don't think what we had was really love."

"Oh, believe me. It was for him. No one else has ever stood a real chance since."

Andy frowned sensing that there was more to the story that she didn't know. A conversation from long ago resurfaced in her mind.

 

_-Flashback 11 Years Ago-_

_"_ _Come on Andy! That was like four miles. I'm wiped. Can't we call it a wrap? Us mere mortals aren't used to running six miles every morning like some people." Doug panted as he rested his hands on his knees and struggled to breathe._

_Andy was still jogging in place. "Sorry Dougie. I told you I was worked up. I can't help it. Running is the only thing that helps take the edge off."_

_"_ _And by edge, you mean La Priestly? I thought you two were getting it on like bunnies lately?"_

_Andy walked over to an empty park bench and went through her cool-down stretches. She then sat down taking a long swallow from her water bottle. "We were… are…I mean we do… but…"_

_"_ _Hey." He sat down and placed a gentle hand over Andy's shaking hands. "Slow down and tell Uncle Dougie what's going on."_

_Andy sighed and took another drink of water. "I think I want to ask Miranda to marry me."_

_Doug was silent for a long moment before facing his friend. "You think you do… or you do?"_

_"_ _I do."_

_"_ _Okay."_

_She glanced at him suspiciously. "That's it? You're okay with that?"_

_Doug laughed. "Why would my opinion matter? It's your life."_

_Andy sighed heavily. "Because you're like the only friend I have left and… you matter okay."_

_Doug nodded. He knew what she was really saying. She didn't want to lose him too. He knew that Andy was still hurt that their old friend had stopped speaking to her after she and Nate had broken up. He had tried talking to Lily, but the woman was just too stubborn. It was like Nate could do no wrong in her eyes. It wasn't until recently that he'd started understanding why._

_"_ _Look Andy, I know why you pulled away when you were at RUNWAY. I get it. It was a demanding job that took a lot of your time." He shrugged his shoulders. "There are times when I'm busy for weeks and we don't get to hang out. That doesn't mean that we're not still friends and I don't love you. To be completely honest, I told Nate he was being an ass and that if he were a real boyfriend, he would have supported you instead of trying to make you feel guilty for doing your job."_

_Andy blinked and looked at her friend with surprise. "Really?"_

_"_ _Of course, I did." He frowned, a little hurt that she didn't already know this. "When I found out that Nate had packed up while you were in Paris and that Lily had helped him, I gave them both a piece of my mind. Not that it did much good."_

_"_ _She helped him move? I didn't know that." She said quietly._

_Doug mentally kicked himself for letting that little tidbit slip. "Yeah. She had the nerve to call me and ask me to help out. I think her ear is still ringing from the sound of me banging my phone on my desk." He chuckled._

_She smiled sadly. "I know I let things go and she said that I changed, but I don't think the changes were all bad, you know. I mean… Lil was my best friend and suddenly Nate became more important to her than me. What's up with that?"_

_Doug looked away nervously for a moment. "Who knows what was going on in Lily's head? We don't really talk anymore either. But you know what, I couldn't care less. I, for one, think the changes were good. I love this new you and I think Miranda Priestly is going to be one lucky woman."_

_Andy nearly leaped into his arms and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you. You don't know what that means to me."_

_"_ _You've always been there for me, Andy. I love you and you're family, babe. That will never change."_

_"_ _Thanks. I feel the same way about you, Doug."_

_"_ _Now, back to this proposal."_

_"_ _So, here is what I was thinking…"  
_

The memory faded away and Andy's investigative skills kicked into high gear. She shook her head as the pieces fell into place. "I can't believe I never made the connection before now. You were in love with him."

Lily laughed nervously and moved away. "Andy…"

"It's okay, you know. I don't care. It's just a little… I don't know… bittersweet."

Lily turned and just stared at her. "Nothing happened while you two were together." She finally admitted.

"It all makes sense to me now. You took his side because you were in love with him."

"He was a great guy and you just…"

"You know… if you wanted to be with Nate, you could have just said so. I might have been confused, but eventually I would have understood. Who knows maybe we would have all remained friends. You didn't need to make me out to be the bad guy or make me feel like I had been a horrible friend."

They both stood awkwardly together not really knowing what else to say. It was sad that two people who had once been best friends couldn't even manage to have a decent conversation.

"Look, I really should be going. Miranda will be expecting us for an early dinner soon."

Lily smiled sadly. "You two still together, huh? I guess you proved us all wrong."

"I was never trying to prove anything to anyone. We fell in love. That had nothing to do with anyone except Miranda and me."

"You look happy." Lily admitted.

Andy glanced over at her kids again and beamed as she watched her son walking towards her. "I am happy… very happy."

"Moms, do we have time to go to the Aquarium?" Alex asked wrapping his arms around her legs. He was flashing a bright smile up at her.

Andy glanced at her watch before leaning down placing a quick kiss on his head. "Sure, bud. Go tell your sisters and we'll go."

"Okay."

Andy returned her eyes to her old friend and she managed to smile. "Goodbye, Lily. Take care of yourself."

Lily watched Andy walk over and claim her family and she knew this really was goodbye. Andy was right. It was bittersweet. She had thrown away a lifelong friendship in exchange for Nate only to realize a little too late that he had only wanted a substitute.

"Moms, who was that lady again?" Alex asked as they made their way towards the exit.

"Just someone I used to know." She heard Andy answer.

 

 


	7. Chapter 7

 

"Moms took us to the museum, the aquarium, and then we had pizza at the arcade. It was pretty cool." Alex said with animation as he described the day's events to his grandmother.

"Speaking of cool, your mothers mentioned that you got some new hot-shot video game system." Audrey said with a smile.

"Cass and I gave it a test drive this morning. It's totally…"

"Awesome?" Audrey finished for him. Andy had told her awesome was now her son's new favorite word.

"Totally!"

"Well, I think I might have something that will make it even more _awesome_." She smiled even wider when she saw Andy giving her a glare. "If I'm not mistaken, I think there might be a few new games that will go along with that new system of yours up in my study."

"Really?"

Miranda and the twins couldn't help chuckling. They had never seen Alex's eyes get so big.

"Really." She jerked her head towards the stairs. "Go on up and see if you like them. If there's something you already have, we'll exchange it."

Alex was off like a shot before she even finished the sentence. "Oh don't you dare give me that look, Andrea Sachs-Priestly. He's my only grandson and I will lavish him with gifts if I want." She said waving in her daughter's direction. She then turned her attention to the two redheads sitting across from her on the sofa and winked.

"I think there might be something up there for my two favorite granddaughters too… maybe pre-graduation gifts."

"Thanks Grams!"

"Grams, you're the best!"

They all laughed even louder when the twins tackled Audrey with hugs and kisses before they flew up the stairs after their brother.

"You spoil them terribly, Audrey." Miranda said chuckling.

The older brunette sat back and crossed her legs. "Of course I do. That's the perk of being the grandparent. I get to do all the spoiling and none of the disciplining. Just wait until one of the girls gives you a grandchild to dote on. It's wonderful."

Andy's eyes widened and Miranda felt her chest tighten. Audrey laughed.

"Jesus Mom! Let us get them married off before you go giving them children please." Andy said.

Audrey was still laughing. "That will be just as hard. I remember when you called me and told me that you were going to propose to Miranda. I think I cried half of the afternoon which was quite frightening for my patients. It's never a good sign when your surgeon is crying."

"You were crying?" Miranda chuckled and looked slightly offended. "And here I thought we had improved our relationship at that point."

Audrey waved her off with a hand. "Oh everything isn't always about you, La Priestly."

Andy grinned. It still surprised her how well her mother and her wife got along. Her mother was the only person other than her and the kids who could get away with teasing Miranda so much.

"I was crying because I knew my baby was finally all grown up and about to have a family of her own."

Miranda nodded with understanding.

Audrey went over to the mantle and removed a photo of Andy and Miranda. "You spend all those years preparing them to go off into the world and find their own happiness. When they do, it's a wonderful thing to see. I was very glad that Cassidy was able to capture that moment."

Andy reached over and took Miranda's hand when she saw the photo. "I'm just glad she actually said yes."

"As if I could have ever said no to such a lovely proposal." Miranda said remembering. "It was quite the elaborate set up as you remember."

 

_-Flashback: 11 Years Ago-_

_"_ _So you guys didn't forget to get the music and what you're supposed to do, right?" Andy asked nervously._

_Cassidy and Caroline rolled their eyes. "For the tenth time, we got it covered, Andy."_

_Caroline moved to Andy's side. "Why are you stressing, silly. You know Mom is totally going to say yes."_

_Andy looked between Caroline and Cassidy. "Really?"_

_"_ _Totally." They said in unison._

_"_ _And you guys are okay with that right? I mean we talked about this." More like Andy had asked them for Miranda's hand._

_Again they rolled their eyes. "Would we be helping you with music and all this stuff if we weren't?" Cassidy said shaking her head._

_"_ _Right."_

_"_ _So can we see it?"_

_Andy grinned and pulled out a small black velvet box. She opened it and handed it over to them. The twins' eyes were dreamy._

_"_ _Wow. Nice job, Andy. The color is so pretty." Cassidy said._

_Andy turned to Caroline and awaited judgment knowing that she was more like her mother than Cassidy._

_Caroline nodded as she critiqued the ring. "Cartier?"_

_Andy nodded._

_"_ _Cushion Cut Sapphire, micro pave' diamond setting in a platinum band…"_

_Again Andy nodded hoping she and Doug had made a good choice. When she'd seen the striking color of the sapphire, it instantly reminded her of Miranda's eyes. She'd decided that was the ring she wanted no matter what. As a result, the price had taken a huge chunk out of the money her grandmother had left Andy in her will. Ironically, she had never planned to even touch the money because she hadn't really liked her grandmother all that much. The woman was opinionated, mean, and downright homophobic. Spending it on something she knew the old bitty wouldn't approve of had felt perfect._

_Caroline looked at Andy and smiled. "It's perfect. Mom will love it."_

_"_ _God, I hope so."_

_Just then, Andy's phone vibrated. It was Roy. The text said that they were leaving RUNWAY. That meant she and the girls had less than twenty minutes to finish up._

_"_ _That was Roy. Your mom is coming." Andy said nervously._

_"_ _Okay. The music is set. All you have to do is press this button here." Cassidy showed Andy._

_"_ _Got it."_

_"_ _Okay, we're going to go change. You'd better go wait for Mom."_

_Andy nodded and headed down the hall. "Oh and Andy?"_

_"_ _Yeah."_

_"_ _You look really pretty."_

_Andy blushed. "Thanks Cass."_

_Miranda walked through the door exactly fifteen minutes later. She was hanging her coat in the closet when something caught her eye. She closed the door and turned to see Andy standing down the hall. The brunette looked absolutely stunning wearing a black Chanel silk wrap dress that hugged her in just the right places with matching four-inch Louboutins. Her hair and make-up were perfection. Miranda hungrily looked her up and down with an approving smile._

_Andy slowly walked towards her and stopped a few feet away. Miranda licked her lips. "Did we have plans that I forgot about?"_

_"_ _No, but I do have plans for you this evening. Shall we?" Andy asked holding out her hand._

_"_ _The girls…"_

_"_ _Don't worry about the girls. I got it covered."_

_Andy walked her slowly down the hall and stopped just outside of the formal dining room. "If I asked you to go to Paris with me tonight, would you go?"_

_"_ _Tonight? Paris? Andrea, what in the world are you…"_

_"_ _Okay, maybe that's a little short notice..." She moved to open the double doors. "… but Paris is a very special place for us. What if I could bring Paris to you tonight?"_

_Andy opened the double doors and Miranda gasped. The entire room was bathed in soft candlelight and twinkling white lights were blinking around a mock Eiffel Tower in the corner. Miranda would never know how much trouble Andy had gone through getting Nigel and the art department to build that thing for her without Miranda finding out. The table was set beautifully on a stark white tablecloth with rose petals placed here and there. The scene was utterly breathtaking and romantic._

_She turned and met Andy's bashful face. The young woman was biting her lip nervously and Miranda was completely charmed._

_"_ _What is all this? I know it's not our anniversary."_

_Andy shrugged. "I just wanted to do something nice for you to show you how much you mean to me."_

_"_ _Well this is…quite the gesture, Andrea. Thank you."_

_"_ _You're welcome, but I'm just getting started. Shall we?"_

_Miranda took her hand and moved to the table. Andy held her chair out for her before moving to her own. She pressed the button that Cassidy had shown her and suddenly the room was filled with soft French music. It was one of Miranda's favorite._

_Blue eyes twinkled as she looked at Andy. "How did you know?"_

_Andy smiled. "Are you kidding? I know everything about you, lady… and I had a little help."_

_As if on cue, the side door to the kitchen swung open and in walked the twins dressed as little waiters complete with bowties and white aprons. Miranda's expression was priceless. She looked between the three of them and laughed._

_"_ _What on earth?"_

_"_ _Bonsoir, Ms. Priestly, Ms. Sachs. We will be your servers for the evening." Cassidy said in a flawless French accent as they both bowed at the waist._

_"_ _Would you care to start with the wine madam?" Caroline asked. She presented the bottle to Andy with a white cloth over her arm. Andy nodded and she filled their glasses before placing the bottle on the table between them._

_"_ _Thank you. I think we'd like to start with the entrée now."_

_"_ _Yes madam."_

_Miranda watched her daughters leave the room then turned to Andy. "I'm not sure how I should feel about this. You've managed to turn my children into servers, with alcohol no less. Whatever have you all been up to?"_

_"_ _Why don't you stop worrying and just sit back and let us pamper you."_

_Before Miranda could respond, the girls came back into the room and carefully placed the silver trays before them and lifted the lid presenting their food then retreating into the kitchen. Miranda shook her head, again surprised to find her that the food was her favorite dishes._

_Andy waited for Miranda to taste the food first. She smiled in relief when Miranda's eyes closed and a moan escaped. "This is delicious. How did you manage this? I wasn't aware that Louisa was this good with French cuisine."_

_Andy wiped her mouth and placed her napkin on the table. "Louisa didn't cook this."_

_Miranda raised a brow. "You cooked this?"_

_Andy laughed. "Of course not. I'm good, but not that good. I called in a favor."_

_Miranda waited for an explanation. "Well?"_

_"_ _Let's just say that it pays to have been your assistant. I made quite an impression on Jean-Luc the last time I was at his restaurant."_

_"_ _You mean he flirted with you." Miranda scowled jealously._

_"_ _Shamelessly, but he was quite the gentleman when he realized I was now taken… by you. He sends his regards."_

_Miranda sniffed and Andy laughed. Who would have guessed Miranda would have been so jealous over her._

_Once dinner was complete, Andy knew it was time to move things along. "I could use some air. Would you like to come outside with me?"_

_Miranda eyed her closely. She could tell Andy was up to something, but she went along with it anyway. "Of course."_

_Andy took her by the hand and led her out to the back garden. Again Miranda was taken by surprise. The entire garden was softly lit by more twinkling lights. When she turned around, Andy was standing a few feet away just staring at her nervously with unshed tears in her eyes. Miranda moved to go to her but Andy held up a hand and smiled._

_"_ _When… I left RUNWAY, I left for so many reasons; all of which we've talked about. You know that I needed to leave you so that I could find my find my own way in the world. I needed to grow and become a woman who could deserve you. So, when I came to Paris to talk to you, I knew then that the only place that felt right for me was with you." Andy paused and took a deep breath. "The last night there as we stood by the fountain, I made a vow that I'd never leave you again. I meant it then and I mean it now."_

_She took a few steps forward stopping just short of touching the other woman. She could see a tear fall from Miranda's eye. She gently wiped it way. "I want to make even more vows to you, if you'll let me."_

_Miranda gasped as Andy took her hand and slowly lowered herself down on her knees which wasn't an easy task in that dress, but she managed. She looked up into tearful blue eyes and held out a ring._

_"_ _I, Andrea Sachs, want to take you, Miranda Priestly, as my wife; to have and to hold, for better, for worse, for richer, for poor, in sickness or in health, to honor and obey, to love and to cherish till death do us part. I want to spend the rest of my life with you; loving you, fighting with you, making love with you, just being with you."_

_Miranda let out an uncharacteristic nervous laugh. "Was there actually a question in there somewhere?"_

_Andy laughed and nodded as her own tears came. "Yeah. It was something like, will you marry me?"_

_"_ _Oh yes darling. Yes, I'll marry you."_

_With a shaking hand, Andy managed to slip the ring on Miranda's finger. Miranda practically pulled her up from her knees and found her lips for a deep kiss. The kiss lasted for several long moments until giggling and a loud bark erupted behind them._

_Andy held Miranda in a tight hug as she gave the twins thumbs up. "We have a yes, girls."_

_"_ _Well duh!"_

_"_ _We told you!"_

_Patricia piped in with another loud bark._

_Miranda laughed. "So you two were in on this part as well?"_

_The twins rolled their eyes as they came over to join in on the hug. "Andy was totally lost without us."_

_Miranda laughed and kissed their heads and gave Patricia a scratch behind the ears for good measure._

_"Thank goodness she had you all to help out then."_

_Long after the twins were supposed to have been in bed, Cassidy and Caroline had snuck back downstairs to find their mother and Andy still dancing in the garden under the lights. Andy was whispering something in Miranda's ear making her laugh. Cassidy and Caroline looked on in awe. They had never seen their mother this happy before. Just as her mother's head went back in laughter again, Andy's eyes softened and looked at her lovingly. Cassidy quickly held up her phone snapping the picture._

"I must say it was all rather impressive." Miranda said gently.

Audrey saw the same soft, loving look she had seen on the editor's face years ago. It made her smile. "Who knew my daughter was such a Casa Nova?"

Andy leaned back against the sofa with her feet propped on the coffee table. Folding her arms behind her head, she grinned. "What can I say? I got skills."

Audrey laughed and swatted her daughter's feet off the table. Miranda rolled her eyes.

* * *

 

After lunch, the twins took Alex down the block to a small park they had spotted on the way. Miranda was helping Andy with the last of the dishes when they heard a voice mixing with Audrey's in the front room. Andy instantly knew her brother had arrived. She wiped her hands on the towel and took Miranda by the hand.

"Come on, babe. Josh is home."

Andy's brother pulled away from his mother when he spotted his sister over her shoulder. He was tall, lanky, with light brown hair and eyes. He looked more like Richard than Andy did, but you could definitely tell that they were siblings.

"Hey Joshie."

He smiled softly and pulled her into a tight embrace. "Hey sis."

Josh looked over Andy's shoulder and gave Miranda a nod. "Hello Miranda. Nice to see you again."

"Joshua."

"Miranda, could you help me get some tea?" Audrey asked.

"Certainly."

Sister and brother finally pulled apart and wiped the tears that had escaped. Josh cleared his throat. "They're not very subtle are they?"

Andy let out a chuckle. "Not at all."

"How you doing?"

Andy shrugged her shoulders. "I'm hanging in there. You?"

"About the same. It's a little surreal isn't it? I feel like all of this is just a dream, you know? None of this feels real to me."

Andy nodded. "I know exactly how you feel."

* * *

 

In the kitchen, Audrey and Miranda were trying to take their time with the tea to give the siblings time to talk.

"Do you think that it's wise leaving them in there alone?"

"They're going to have to make peace with one another sooner or later. Besides, Joshua worships his big sister. That's why this has been so hard on them. Josh is an eternal optimist. He thought our family could be put back together if we all just sat down and talked." Audrey shook her head. "Andy has always protected him from… everything. She was seven when we found out I was pregnant with Josh. She had been the center of our world for all those years; I was worried she would be jealous."

Miranda smiled at the thought of her beloved as a cute seven-year-old. "I take it she wasn't?"

"Not in the slightest. Instead, she looked after Josh as if he were the most precious thing in the world to her. Josh was always her responsibility. And that hasn't changed. Even now, she's still protecting him. She doesn't want to shatter his image of the father Josh built Richard up to be."

"I'm worried about her, Audrey. The girls are too." Miranda said quietly. "She hasn't cried. She's barely even talked about it."

"You know… she plans to speak at the service tomorrow."

Miranda eyed Audrey closely. "No, I wasn't aware she had decided to do that."

"I'm not sure that is a wise decision, but when my daughter makes up her mind about something there is no stopping her."

Miranda chuckled and her eyes twinkled. "Oh you don't have to tell me about the stubborn nature of Andrea Sachs. I am all to familiar with it."

Audrey looked at her suspiciously. "And why do you look like that makes you proud?"

"Because I am." Miranda couldn't hold back the soft chuckle that escaped. "I've encountered Andrea's independent streak on more than a few occasions over the years. I learned a long time ago to never try to make decisions for her."

 

_-Flashback: 10 Years Ago-_

_Emily had worked for Miranda Priestly for several years, outlasting all of the previous assistants. She thought she had weathered just about every storm that could through this office. And even though Miranda still scared her shitless at times, she could handle it. Yet nothing prepared her for what was heading her way today._

_When Andrea Sachs-Priestly, the new wife of her boss Miranda Priestly, stepped off the elevator and into the 17_ _th_ _floor offices of RUNWAY Magazine, Emily knew something was brewing… something bad._

_"_ _Is she in there?" Andy asked as walked with purpose towards Miranda's office._

_Emily was out of her desk in a flash blocking her entrance. "Yes, but she's in a meeting with the senior staff and gave explicit instructions not to be disturbed. You can't go in there."_

_Andy tilted her head to the side as if she was seeing Emily for the first time. Her eyes slowly traveled down to her chest where Emily had placed her hand and lifted a brow eerily like Miranda. The flustered Brit immediately pulled her hand away and mumbled an apology. The new second assistant swallowed. They could practically feel the restrained fury rolling off the brunette in waves._

_"_ _Emily, I would love to stand here and chat with you about this misguided illusion of authority that you think you have, but I'm about to go into that office and speak with_ _**my wife** _ _." She said pointing to the open glass doors a few feet away. "And if you would like to continue breathing, I suggest you move."_

_"_ _But Andrea…"_

_"_ _Emily…" She paused to lower her voice, trying her best to reign in her anger. "Does it look like I'm fucking around? I'm not going to ask you to move again."_

_"_ _What on earth is the meaning of this?" Miranda asked coming to the door. She was surprised to see her wife apparently having a standoff with her long-suffering assistant._

_Andy's eyes flashed when they bore into Miranda's and the editor immediately knew something was amiss._

_"_ _Andrea what on earth has gotten into you? I'm in the middle of an important meeting."_

_Andy was silent for a moment before she did something unexpected. She leaned over the new assistant's desk and retrieved a notepad and pen. "Go ahead, Miranda. I'm here to assist you."_

_There were three sets of confused eyes staring back at her. "Andrea, what kind of silly game are you playing? I simply do not have time for this."_

_"_ _You heard me, Miranda. I'm here to assist you. That's what assistants do right?" She said with a slightly scary smile on her face._

_"_ _What on earth are…"_

_"_ _You tell your assistants what to do. You make all the decisions and they follow your instructions, correct?" Andy said tossing the pad and pen aside. She walked over and stopped in front of Miranda._

_Miranda could see her jaw muscles clenching._

_"_ _So, I figured if you're going to continue to make decisions for me then I might as well just work here again. What's the point of working at 'The Mirror' if you get to tell me what to do there too?"_

_It only took two seconds for understanding to dawn on Miranda's face and Andy saw it. It was all the proof she needed. "I can't believe you." She rolled her eyes with disgust and turned to leave._

_"_ _No, wait. Don't you dare walk away. You promised…"_

_"_ _I promised! I promised! What about what you promised?! How dare you, Miranda?!"_

_Miranda kept a firm hold on Andy's arm. She could feel the brunette trembling with anger but she wouldn't let go. She couldn't._

_"_ _The meeting is over." Miranda said over her shoulder pulling a reluctant Andy behind her. "And Emily, hold all of my calls and no one… and I do mean no one is to come into my office or you will no longer have a job."_

_"_ _Yes Miranda." Emily said weakly watching the senior staff rush out._

_They all stood in confusion and fear as the doors to Miranda's office was closed for the first time in years._

_Inside the office, Andy paced the length of the office like a caged animal._

_"_ _Andrea…"_

_"_ _Over three years, Miranda. I spent the last three and a half years clawing my way out of the obits and local bake sales to actually earning the respect of my peers and my editor." She said in an almost pleading tone. "And you took that away from me. You took that away with a simple phone call."_

_"_ _Let me explain."_

_"_ _Explain? What's there to explain?!" She started pacing again. She didn't know what to do with her hands. "You had my boss pull me off of my story; a story I have been working on for months!"_

_"_ _Andrea…"_

_"_ _Do you have any idea what that felt like… how demeaning that was? To have my boss call me into his office and tell me that even though he thought it was the best work he'd seen in years that he had to pull me off the story because he couldn't risk it." She shook her finger at Miranda. "I didn't get it at first. I didn't understand right way. I mean, what could possibly have my hard-nosed boss that spooked and then it hit me. He wasn't afraid of the people involved with the story; he was afraid of you. He couldn't risk pissing you off. It didn't have a fucking thing to do with me!"_

_"_ _What you were working on was dangerous! Greg Hill is a smart man. He knew this. You had broken the story. You got the credit. It's been turned over to the authorities. There was no need for you to continue with it." Miranda said trying to make her understand. "You're no longer a single woman, Andrea. You have a family… children to think about. What you do doesn't just affect you anymore."_

_What Andy had been working on was a story about the unexplainable flu related deaths that had spiked over the last year. After doing some extensive research and investigative work, Andy and a detective had uncovered that a major pharmaceutical distribution company was selling sterile saline shots that were being administered to patients as actual flu shots. Perfectly healthy people had died from the flu because they had not been vaccinated as they had been led to believe. Search warrants, arrests, and indictments were flying through the medical community like wildfire. It also put Andy in the hot seat and on the lips of just about every major news anchor. There were a lot of wealthy people that stood to lose a lot if they were connected to this scandal._

_"_ _How dare you, Miranda!"_

_"_ _How dare I? You're not innocent in this." Miranda argued back._

_Andy blanched. "Don't try to make this out to be my fault, Miranda. You did this."_

_"_ _Were you even going to tell me, Andrea?"_

_"_ _Tell you what, Miranda?"_

_"_ _About the death threats."_

_Andy laughed humorlessly and ran her hands through her hair in frustration. "Miranda, if I told you about every death threat that comes through 'The Mirror' for me or any random reporter for that matter, I wouldn't have time to do anything else."_

_When Miranda looked confused, Andy shook her head. "I get them all the time. We all do. It's a part of the job, but I'm diligent and I'm careful. Every single one is passed along to my friend that works at the 15_ _th_ _Precinct. She checks them out and lets me know if there is anything to worry about. I would never… ever put you or the girls in danger even if it's just by proximity to me. If you don't believe me, give her a call. Her name is Sergeant Melinda Carver. She had already looked into the threats and found out that it was nothing more than some stupid kids playing a prank."_

_"_ _How was I supposed to know that?"_

_Andy threw her hands up in the air in frustration. "Oh I don't know. Maybe you could have talked to me like I was your wife or at the very least your equal, Miranda." She shook her head sadly turning to leave. "But that's really not the case is it? I may be your wife now, but you still don't see me as your equal. I'll always be just an assistant to you." She shook her head. "I'm done with this."_

_"_ _Where are you going?"_

_"_ _I don't know. I can't be here with you right now. I need to leave."_

_Those words were like cold water being poured over Miranda's head. "Leave? You can't."_

_"_ _See there you go again, telling me what I can and can't do. Here's a news flash, Miranda. I don't work for you! And when I vowed to honor and obey, it wasn't meant literally obey your every command!"_

_They both stood in silence after Andy's voice bellowed off the walls most certainly giving those in the outer office a front row seat to their argument. She took a deep breath and swallowed._

_"_ _We got married a few weeks ago; just you, me, and the kids standing on the beach in front of a justice of the peace. Do you recall that?"_

_"_ _Of course."_

_"_ _And we all made promises to each other that day, remember?"_

_"_ _Yes, of course I will never forget that day Andrea."_

_"_ _Good, then you should remember that I gave myself to you willingly and I promised that I would always honor you, but that does not mean you own me. You promised to honor me too, but you didn't honor me today Miranda. You made decisions about_ _**my** _ _career without consulting_ _**me** _ _. I would never do that to you. Even if I disagreed with you with every fiber of my being, I would never go to Irv Ravitz behind your back. I respect you too much to ever do that to you. I just wish you had the same respect for me."_

_With those words, Miranda's heart clenched. She understood and she knew everything Andy was saying was true. She had been trying to protect Andrea, but it had backfired._

_By the time Andy had finished speaking, she was in tears. Miranda tried to reach out to touch her only for Andy to turn away. The rejection stung in Miranda's heart._

_"_ _Andrea, please I…"_

_Andy angrily wiped away her tears. "I can't talk about this anymore right now. I need some time alone to figure out what I'm going to do."_

_Emily and the second assistant both jumped as the doors to their boss' office were nearly thrown off its hinges. Both women held their breaths and neither dared look up as one furious Andrea Sachs-Priestly stormed out._

 

Miranda shook away the memory. "It was hours later before she returned home… practically the next morning. Those were the longest hours of my life… because I wasn't sure she was coming back. When she did, Andrea definitely let me have it."

"That's when she quit her job at 'The Mirror' and started freelancing full-time isn't it?" Audrey asked doing the math in her head.

Miranda nodded. "She had spent most of the day lining up jobs at several publications to do a follow-up series on the story she had been working on. Once she informed me of the changes in her employment, she then politely explained that I would be sleeping in the guest room until further notice."

"No?"

"Yes. The entire talk took about five minutes. So, you see I definitely learned my lesson that day."

Audrey smirked. "How long were you banished to the guest room… if you don't mind me asking?"

For some reason Audrey could always get away with getting personal details out of the sometimes prickly editor. They had formed a rather odd friendship over the years… if one can be friends with the older woman sleeping with your daughter.

"Long enough."

Audrey eyed her closely. She hadn't missed the lovely shade of pink gracing the other woman's pale features. "That doesn't sound like Andy. I know how she is with you, Miranda. She can barely be away from you an hour without climbing the walls."

"She would visit." Miranda said blushing even more.

Audrey laughed out loud. "Oh my god! You make it sound like she just came to you and demanded..."

Miranda's face turned even more red.

"Oh my! From the looks of that blush, you learned more than just one lesson that evening. If I were a betting woman, I'd bet you rather _liked_ that assertive side of her." Audrey said enjoying the chance to tease her.

Miranda rolled her eyes and she shrugged her shoulders. "It's one of the things I love most about her." Miranda said. "And if you tell her that, they'll never find your body."

The both laughed.

* * *

 

Mom showed me the pictures of Alex. Man, he's gotten so big."

"Yeah. He's growing like a weed. It seems like I'm buying new shoes or clothes every week because he's outgrown something."

"That shouldn't be such an ordeal considering who you're married to. Mom told me she's going to be the new Chair of Elias-Clarke. I guess that means she'll have even more power over the fashion world." Josh said. He meant it to be a joke, but Andy could hear the slight derisiveness behind it.

She simply nodded then eyed her brother for a long moment. "How's Rachel doing? You two still planning on a September wedding?"

"Uh…" Josh shifted in his seat. "Rachel and I decided to split. It just wasn't working."

Andy shook her head and rolled her eyes. "So what was wrong with her?"

"What do you mean?"

"Every time you get serious about someone, you find something wrong with them and call it off. So what was her flaw?"

Josh's jaw hardened. "Well I guess some of us aren't luck enough to find the great love of our life and never look back."

"You're right. I am lucky."

"Even if it was at the expense of our family?" He asked boldly.

She just stared at him for a moment. "I was wondering when this would start. What do you want to blame me for now, Joshie?"

"Just forget it. I'm not blaming you for anything." He stood abruptly and marched over to the window. "And don't call me Joshie. We're not kids anymore."

Andy nodded. "You're right. We're not. So let's try talking about this like adults then, shall we?"

She was met with only his silence. She shook her head. He was more like their father than he realized.

"Fine." She threw her hands in the air. "Let's just go on and pretend that everything is fine then. We'll get through tomorrow and go back to our lives just like nothing happened."

"You would like that wouldn't you?" He said facing her. "You'd like to just forget all about Dad. It should be easy for you. You've been doing that for the last ten years!"

* * *

 

Audrey and Miranda heard the raised voices in the kitchen. Miranda stood to go back to the living room, when Audrey stopped her. The older woman touched Miranda's arm and shook her head.

"We have to let them work this out on their own. It's time."

Miranda was unsure. She knew Andy appeared to be strong on the outside but she knew just how vulnerable her wife was. "I hope you're right… and God help us if you're wrong."

* * *

 

"That's what you think? You think I married Miranda and just decided I didn't need my father anymore?" Andy shook her head and laughed. "If you do, you're an idiot."

"Hey! Dad told me what happened."

"And exactly what was that, Josh?" Andy stood and moved closer to him. "What did he tell you?"

"Look, I know Dad wasn't always as open-minded as Mom. I know he gave you a hard time about being in a relationship with a woman because of his religious views, but honestly that had more to do with who the woman was than anything else and you know it." He defended. "You didn't have to shut him out because he didn't like your wife."

Andy actually laughed. "And here I thought you knew me better than anyone else in the world. You don't know me at all."

"Are you saying Dad was lying?"

"No. I'm saying there is a whole lot more to the story than just that."

"Whatever." He mumbled.

"If you want to keep sticking your head in the sand, Josh, that's fine. But I'm not taking the blame for this shit anymore. I'm done." Andy said making her way to the kitchen.

"Just tell me one thing, will you? What did dear old dad do to make you toss him out of your life?! Did he insult your precious Miranda or something?"

Andy's last string of reserve finally snapped. She turned and glared at her brother. "You really want to know?!"

"Yeah, I really want to know what Dad did that was so bad."

"Our father told me that it was blessing that my baby died!" She yelled. When the words came out, so did the tears of grief.

 

_-Flashback: Ten Years Ago-_

_Andy lay back on the small hospital bed and stared mindlessly at the ceiling. The doctor was speaking to them about the procedure she'd had earlier, but she wasn't really listening. She could feel Miranda caressing her left hand. She felt like crying, but was too tired. She'd cried more tears in the last few hours than she had in her entire life. Now she just felt empty. Her right hand unconsciously moved to her stomach where up until twenty-four hours ago she would have felt their child growing inside of her. Now there was nothing._

_Exactly one day ago, everything had been fine. It had actually been wonderful. The twins had surprised her with her new title. They asked if they could call her Moms since the new baby would make them all related in a way. She didn't think she could feel any happier than she felt in that moment. She was very touched and didn't even bother trying to hide her tears. Miranda had rolled her eyes playfully and said it was the hormones. But Andy knew better, she saw the tears in Miranda's eyes as well._

_When Andy and Miranda lay in bed that night, they both said a prayer of thanks for their happiness. Then… the unthinkable happened. Everything happened so fast, it felt more like a nightmare in slow motion instead of reality. Andy had awakened in the middle of the night in unbearable pain. It was a blur of doctors, nurses, and technicians once they reached the hospital. The crushing news came shortly after; something had gone terribly wrong with the pregnancy. And just like that, the fairytale was over and they were all left devastated._

_She blinked when she heard Miranda speaking to her. She realized she had completely zoned out and had missed the entire conversation with the doctor._

_"_ _Darling? Sweetheart, can you hear me?" Miranda asked softly._

_Andy nodded. "I'm sorry, what?"_

_"_ _Dr. Lawson said that you can be released tomorrow afternoon. They want to keep you for observation for another twenty-four hours to make sure the… bleeding is completely under control. I agree. I think that's best."_

_Andy could see that Miranda was in just as much pain as she was. She was barely holding herself together. She also knew what her wife was up to. She was buying them some time. Miranda had been making calls while she thought Andy had been asleep. She had called Louisa and Emily and requested they to go to the townhouse and make sure all maternity paraphernalia had been removed prior to them returning home. Andy had heard Miranda's voice tremble while on the phone. Emily wasn't even her assistant anymore, but Emily and the long-time housekeeper were the only people Miranda would have ever trusted to take care of such a task. She took Miranda's hand and pulled her close to the bed._

_"_ _What is it, darling? What do you need?"_

_"_ _Just you. Please, I just need you… to hold me."_

_Miranda slipped onto the small bed and pulled Andy into her arms. They clung to each other and cried themselves to sleep._

_Andy wasn't sure how long she had been sleeping. She could see that it was growing late in the evening. She vaguely remembered hearing Miranda say that she was going out to make a quick call to check in with the girls. When she heard the door opening, she thought it was her wife returning._

_"_ _How are they doing? I hope they're not worrying too much." Andy asked, voice sounding hoarse from all the crying._

_When she didn't get a response, she opened her eyes only to see her father standing in the room holding a small bouquet of flowers._

_"_ _Dad?" She slowly sat up in bed. "What are you doing here?"_

_He shifted from one foot to the other then moved closer. He placed the flowers on the side table by the window next to the many others. "Uh… your mother told your brother that you were in the hospital and he... well… I… I wanted to see if you were alright. How are you?"_

_Andy sighed heavily. "I… I don't really know how to answer that."_

_She hadn't spoken to her father in over two years. She wasn't sure what he knew about the pregnancy or her life for that matter. Her mom knew that her father was a topic not up for discussion. It was like this huge part of her life that didn't exist anymore._

_He nodded slowly and gestured to her stomach. "Your mother had mentioned a while back that you… I'm sorry, honey. I know you must be upset."_

_Andy narrowed her eyes at him. Upset? She couldn't believe that after all this time, this was the best he could do._

_"_ _Miranda and I already loved this child so this is… It's… I can't really explain what it feels like."_

_"_ _Miranda?"_

_Andy drew her eyes back up to meet his. She noticed that he looked almost shocked and a little angry._

_"_ _Yes, Miranda is just as devastated, maybe more. I know she'll try to find a way to blame herself for this, but it's no one's fault."_

_"_ _What does that woman have to do with this?"_

_Andy frowned in confusion. "That woman is my wife. What do you mean what does she have to do with it? This was her child too."_

_"_ _But… your mother said you were pregnant and…"_

_Andy was completely lost. Then something dawned on her. She remembered her mother saying that she didn't really discuss Andy's life with her now ex-husband because it was something they would never agree about. She would only tell him small things if he asked about her well being. Obviously, her mother had only told him that she was pregnant, nothing more._

_"_ _Let me guess, you found out I was pregnant and thought I'd finally found a suitable man to settle down with? Is that it?" Andy said in disbelief. "Is that the only reason you're even here right now?"_

_"_ _You mean you and that woman…. That's impossible." He said shaking his head._

_"_ _That woman's name is Miranda Sachs-Priestly. She's my wife." Andy sat up growing more agitated by the minute. "And it happens to be the twenty-first century, Dad. There's more than one way to get pregnant."_

_He rubbed his hands together and shook his head. "I was sure you'd come to your senses. When she said you were having a baby, I assumed…"_

_Andy nodded and tried not to cry. She was determined not to let him hurt her again. "Yeah. I get it. You assumed that I was finally over my little homosexual phase. Well, I'm happy to say that I'm still married to the woman I love and we still share a family together. Looks like I'm succeeding at something you couldn't. You can go now."_

_"_ _But don't you see, Andy? This was all God's plan. It was a blessing in disguise. Now you can see the error of your ways. You can still have the life you were meant to have." He said reaching out to touch her._

_Andy flinched violently at his words and moved back as if she were burned. "How dare you! This was no blessing or plan of God's."_

_"_ _Honey…"_

_"_ _I want you to leave."_

_"_ _Andy, it was for the best. You have to see that. God doesn't want this for you. You can come back home and your family will help you through this." He said reaching for her again._

_"_ _If you lay a hand on my wife, I can assure you… that will be the last thing that hand ever touches." Miranda growled from the doorway._

_Andy sat back in relief. Miranda moved to her side and stepped between Andy and her father. Her eyes were hard and an ice storm of fury. "She asked you to leave. I won't ask you, but you will go… now."_

_Richard sneered at her. "This doesn't involve you."_

_"_ _This is my wife and if it involves her, it involves me."_

_"_ _She's my daughter!"_

_"_ _You gave up the right to your daughter when you stopped being a father. Now, I'm only going to say this once. You may walk out of this room on your own accord or you can be hauled out like the animal that you are. Either way, you will be leaving." Miranda said in a tone so icy, it sent a chill down the man's spine._

_"_ _Fine." He said taking a step back. He looked around Miranda and made eye contact with Andy. "I'll go, but I pray that one day you come to your senses and become the person you were raised to be."_

_"_ _Get out! Get out and don't come back! I don't ever want to see you again!" Andy yelled._

_Miranda kept her eyes trained on the door, making sure Richard left before turning and taking a trembling Andrea into her arms._

_"_ _It's alright, sweetheart. He's gone now." Miranda soothed, running her hands through Andy's thick locks. "I'm so sorry I wasn't here. I'm so sorry."_

_"_ _How could he… how could he ever say that?" She hiccupped._

_"_ _Shhh… it's alright. We'll be alright. I promise."_

 

"He stood in my hospital room and said that it was for the best that the child I shared with Miranda didn't live!" 

Andy angrily wiped the tears from her eyes, furious that she couldn't stop them.

"I never wanted… I didn't set out to hurt Dad, Josh. It took a long time for me to realize it, but I didn't do anything wrong. I was just trying to live my life. Dad just couldn't accept me for who I am and I couldn't keep apologizing for being true to myself. So you see… Dad turned his back on me long before I ever told him I didn't want him in my life anymore."

Josh stood there in tears trying to form the words he wanted to say but nothing would come.

Andy took a deep breath before turning towards the kitchen. "Miranda?"

Miranda was out of the kitchen before Andy had finished saying her name. "Yes, darling?"

"I think you should call the girls and tell them to come back and pick us up. I think it's time to go."

"Of course." Miranda said glaring at the young man across the room.

"Andy, don't go. Let's sit down and talk."

"Now you want to talk? It's been years since we've had a genuine conversation and that was your choice, not mine." Andy said sadly. "You're my brother… one of the pieces of my heart… and you never thought to just ask me. You chose to think the worst of me and that's what hurts the most." She took Miranda's hand. "Let's go. We'll wait for them outside."

"No, wait." Josh said holding up a hand. "Andy… I… I didn't…."

Audrey stepped up and blocked her son's path. "No."

"But Mom, I…"

"No, not now, son. She's not ready. You're going to have to give her time."

 

 


	8. Chapter 8

 

Miranda poured another shot of Scotch into Andy's glass as they sat in the privacy of their suite. The girls could immediately sense that something was wrong so they took Alex down to the hotel pool to give their parents some time alone.

"If we are going to drink this entire bottle of Scotch, I'm going to need to call down and request some pain medication for the headache we'll surely have in the morning." Miranda said as she tossed back her own drink. They were enjoying a bottle of the finest aged Scotch the hotel had in stock. With nearly a third of the bottle gone, they were definitely starting to feel the effects of the alcohol.

Andy smirked lazily. "I don't think that will be necessary. I'm sure your other wife, Keisha, packed some in your bags anyway. Although I suppose I can't call her your work wife anymore since she's dating our daughter. That sounds a bit incestuous, don't you agree?"

Miranda ignored the question and stared intently at her wife's sullen yet still beautiful features. She knew Andy was using humor to cover up her feelings. "I wish you would talk to me." She finally whispered.

Andy tossed back another shot of Scotch wincing as it burned its way down her throat. "I wish I knew what to say."

"You can say whatever you wish. I just don't want to see you holding all of this… hurt inside. It's not…"

"What? Healthy?" Andy snorted. "You my shrink now?"

Miranda pursed her lips. "I won't apologize for being concerned about you, Andrea."

"I'm sorry, honey. I know you're only trying to help. It's just that…" She sighed with frustration. "I'm not handling this very well. I feel like I've been all over the place these last few days. I don't even know where to start."

"There isn't a right or wrong way to grieve, darling." Miranda leaned back against the sofa and patted her thighs. Andy laid down and put her head in Miranda's lap. "How about you talk and I listen. It doesn't have to make sense to me. I just want to be here for you."

Andy practically purred as Miranda ran her fingers through her hair. "If you keep doing that, I'm going to fall asleep."

Miranda smiled. "That wouldn't be such a terrible thing, would it? You haven't been sleeping very well recently."

Andy frowned as she looked up into intense blue eyes. "Have I been keeping you awake?"

Miranda rolled her eyes. "No, Andrea. Stop worrying about me. This isn't about me, darling. It's about you."

Andy bit her lip and thought for a moment. "That's the weird thing about all of this. I don't feel connected to any of it. The only thing I've felt so far is anger because I'm pissed. I'm pissed that my father has somehow managed to disrupt my life yet again."

She looked up at Miranda searching for understanding. Miranda sat in silence waiting for her to continue.

"And everyone keeps looking at me… waiting for some kind of response. It's almost as if everyone is gauging their grief on mine; like they can't grieve for him if I don't. Does that make sense?"

Miranda nodded slowly. "He was your father. There was a time when he played a huge role in your life. It's completely normal to feel… some anger… even loss."

"That's just it though… I don't feel a loss, not anymore. I feel like my father died years ago. I've already grieved for that man. This man… the man who hurt me and turned his back on me wasn't my father. Now, I've gone and dragged Josh into all of this." She shook her head sadly.

"Look at me." Miranda said prompting Andy to sit up. She waited until brown eyes met blue. "You didn't do anything wrong concerning your brother. He wanted the truth and you told him. Anyone who really knows you, Andrea, would know that you would never shut your father or anyone you loved out of your life without good reason. Joshua is your brother. More than anyone else, he should know that. So, I will not have you blaming yourself."

Andy sighed with a heavy heart. "In my head, I know that."

"He needed to know, Andrea."

"Again… my head says one thing, but my heart feels… I don't know." She sighed and shook her head. "There is a part of me that still feels bad because now he knows. I know better than anyone how Josh must be feeling right now and I want to make it better for him, but… I'm not ready to make nice yet either."

"Who says that you have to? You don't owe anyone anything, not even your brother." Miranda replied fiercely. "So he knows that his father wasn't perfect. You're kidding yourself if you think he didn't already know that. Some people simply prefer to live in denial, Andrea.

Miranda's fingers gently touched Andy's chin, turning the younger woman's face back towards her own. "In a perfect world, we would all like to believe that our parents would never harm us or make mistakes and let us down, but they do. My mother was a cold-hearted bitch that didn't care if I lived or died. It took me years to realize it, but I finally learned that her shortcoming as a mother was her problem and no fault of my own. The woman just didn't know how to love. Your father forced you into a position where you had to choose between your own happiness and sanity over his wishes. Your choices were only acceptable if it was on his terms. He was wrong for that, Andrea. And I believe that somewhere deep down your brother already knew this. He just didn't want to admit it."

Several minutes of silence surrounded them before Andy finally found her voice again.

"I know you're right. I'm sure Josh always knew there was more to the story, but he never knew Dad could be that cruel. No son should know that about their father." Andy said sadly as a stubborn tear fell.

"No child, young or old, should have to experience the abandonment of a parent… for any reason. Can you even fathom a reason for which you'd be willing to turn your back on any of our children?"

Andy's head jerked up and her eyes were blazing through tears. Miranda smirked. She'd gotten the reaction she was looking for. "That's what I thought? You would lay down your very life for our children and they know it. That's why they adore you so. They have always been able to not only see your love, but feel it. "

She gently cupped her wife's cheeks in her hands, wiping away the tears with her thumbs. "You have such a gentle soul, Andrea. You wear your heart on your sleeve. It is both your blessing and curse. All these years, I've tried to stand back and let you fight your own battles when all I've wanted to do was eviscerate anyone or anything that made you unhappy."

Andy sniffed and smiled gently. "I know. You did that for me and I know it wasn't easy for you. No matter how awful Dad was you never once spoke badly about him to me or the kids… even though you had every right. You've always been my knight-in-shining… Prada."

Miranda rolled her eyes as she leaned in and captured Andy's lips with her own. It was a kiss to comfort and soothe. "I wish I had done a better job of that, darling. I feel you were unhappy much too often on my watch."

Andy moved into Miranda's arms and sighed softly when Miranda tightened her hold. "This right here…you, me and the kids… is all I've ever needed to be happy. It's the only thing that's ever truly made me happy."

"You are an incredible wife, a wonderful mother, and the best friend I could ever hope for, Andrea. I never thought I'd say this, but… I actually feel sorry for your father."

Andy raised a skeptical brow. "Why?"

"Because he couldn't see past his own issues and see just how amazing you are. I am so proud of the woman you have become. I can only pray that our girls follow suit. I hope you know how happy you've made me all of these years. I love you more than I could ever express in words." Miranda said staring into her eyes.

Andy blushed and nearly swooned. It was at times like this that made Andy realize just how blessed she was to be loved by Miranda Priestly. "It's amazing. It still surprises me just how much of a romantic you are."

Miranda pursed her lips, but Andy could see the tips of her lips curling upward. "You know, as my wife, you are obligated to keep my secrets. I can't have the public thinking I've gone soft."

"Babe, I really hate to break it to you, but everyone already knows." Andy said chuckling. "You went completely soft the day Alex was born."

Miranda wanted to frown, but found she was unable to. When blinded by one of Andrea's special smiles, she couldn't help but smile too. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

 

_-Flashback: Eight Years Ago-_

_"_ _My god this bed is bloody huge! I don't even want to imagine the things you and Miranda do here." Emily said covering her eyes dramatically._

_Andy slapped her arm playfully. "Shut up."_

_"_ _I'm just saying. I know that Miranda is in great shape. I'll bet she's quite maneuverable so to speak." Emily smirked._

_Andy's cheeks blushed a deep red. This made Emily laugh even harder. Since moving on to the Art Department as Nigel's second in command two years prior, the red-head had calmed down immensely. She was much more confident and at ease with her abilities. Andy figured this was the person Emily had always been without Miranda scaring the shit out of her. With Miranda not the focal point of her life, Emily was more open to a friendship with Andy. The two got along surprisingly well. Andy now considered Emily one of her closest friends and she had become a fixture in the Sachs-Priestly family which is how she found herself in Miranda Priestly's bedroom that day._

_Andy was nine months pregnant and due any day. With the twins away at their father's and Miranda dealing with an unexpected emergency at RUNWAY, Andy was left home alone. Miranda found the situation completely unacceptable and sent Emily over to keep her pregnant wife company in her absence._

_"_ _First, stop thinking of my wife that way. Secondly, shut up so we can watch the movie."_

_"_ _Alright. Alright. Don't get your knickers in a twist. We'll watch your dreadful movie. I still can't understand why you like this rubbish." Emily said switching the movie on with the remote. "It's so… eighties."_

_"_ _This happens to be a classic, Emily. It's one of the most romantic movies ever." Andy said stuffing her mouth full of popcorn._

_"_ _Yeah right! This is a teen flick, Andrea." She said tossing a few pieces of popcorn into her own mouth. Another change in Emily since she was no longer Miranda's assistant was that the red-head actually ate what she wanted now, within reason of course._

_"_ _It's a great movie, Em."_

_"_ _Do you actually make Miranda watch this?" Emily asked curiously._

_"_ _I don't have to make her. She loves it too, thank you very much." Andy said indignantly._

_"_ _Miranda likes this movie?"_

_"_ _Yes."_

_"_ _Miranda Priestly, Queen of the Fashion World… likes 'Sixteen Candles'?" Emily asked skeptically._

_"_ _Yes! That's what I just said."_

_Emily lifted a brow. "Andrea?"_

_"Okay! So she doesn't necessarily_ _**like** _ _it... but she does watch it with me."_

_"That's because she's your wife and she is legally obligated to be tortured by you and she's smart enough to agree so you'll allow her to shag you again." Emily laughed causing Andy to laugh along._

_"Oh shut up! It's a great movie. It reminds me of Miranda and me."_

_Emily looked at her as if she had lost her mind. "How so?"_

_"Jake is the suave, good-looking, popular guy who notices something wonderful in Samantha; the quiet, shy, ordinary girl. They are the other halves of each other. Don't you see? Miranda is Jake and I'm Samantha."_

_"_ _Well you certainly have Samantha's fashion sense." Emily deadpanned._

_Andy hit her in the head with a pillow and they both laughed._

_"_ _You're supposed to be keeping me company, not making fun of me." Andy pouted._

_Emily rolled her eyes at her sappy friend, but couldn't help but smile. "Only you would find the deep meaning behind an eighties chick flick... but I would have to agree with you on one thing."_

_"What's that?"_

_"Miranda is rather suave and good-looking." Emily wiggled her brow._

_"Yes, she is... and she's all mine. And I've told you a thousand times Emily, stop checking out my wife! Serena is going to kill you one day."_

_"_ _Oh Serena knows I'm just a tease." She shrugged her shoulders. "Besides, Serena is absolutely stunning and she keeps me more than satisfied."_

_Andy put her hands over her ears. "TMI Emily."_

_Emily just laughed as the movie came on. They watched for nearly an hour in silence._

_"Oh God No! This cannot happening!" Andy gasped grabbing her stomach._

_"What? You've seen this a million times. You know that they will end up together in the end, Andrea. Try not to get so wound up." Emily said still staring at the screen._

_"I think it's time Emily."_

_"Me too! These two keep dancing around each other. It's bloody maddening."_

_"No Emily! I think it's TIME!" Andy said grabbing her Emily's shoulder. Finally, Emily turned to look at Andy._

_"What?"_

_"Em, it's time! ... My water just broke."_

_"What do you mean your bloody water just broke? Andrea! For the love of Chanel, you cannot be in labor now... Miranda's not here!"_

_"Sorry Em, but I'm pretty sure I'm in labor."_

_"_ _Bullocks! Right... Right... I know what to do... umm... we need to get you to the hospital." Emily said jumping up from the bed._

_"Em... Emily... Hey! Just calm down okay." Andy said patiently. "Look in the desk drawer and get Miranda's stop watch so you can time my contractions. We don't need to go to the hospital until my contractions are closer together."_

_Emily ran over and got the stop watch. Andy got up and waddled into the bathroom to change. When she returned she found Emily pacing back and forth._

_"Em, calm down. Miranda and I practiced this over and over. First, you need to call over to RUNWAY and let her know what's going on. Just tell her to meet us at the hospital. Then call my doctor and…"_

_"_ _You want me to tell Miranda Priestly what to do?" Emily said with eyes the size of saucers._

_Andy would have laughed if she wasn't busy trying to breathe through a small contraction. "Yes. Just tell her that I'm in labor and she needs to come to the hospital. No, wait! Call Nigel instead and have him come with her. Nigel will keep her from freaking out."_

_"Okay! Got it. Call RUNWAY… Nigel… doctor. Got it."_

_"Good." Andy noticed Emily was still standing there holding the phone. "Emily?"_

_"Yes?"_

_"You have to actually make the call."_

_"Oh! Right. Right."_

_Emily called Nigel who relayed the message to Miranda. As Andy had predicted, Miranda started to freak out and took the phone asking a thousand questions. Eventually, Andy had to take the phone and demand she put Nigel back on the phone to get a hold of the situation. A stronger contraction hit at that exact moment._

_"_ _Nigel, I need you to keep Miranda calm and get her to the hospital."_

_"_ _You know what you are asking of me don't you, Six? She's…"_

_"_ _Nigel! I really need you to grow a pair right now buddy! This kid is coming and I need my Dragon Lady. If you don't get her there, Miranda isn't the one you should worry about." She ended the call and started waddling to the door. "Let's go, Em."_

_Once she and Emily arrived at the hospital, things started happening faster than she thought they would. Apparently, those little Braxton-hicks pains she'd been having since the night before were actually contractions._

_Emily fell back into assistant mode, taking care of hospital accommodations and calling relatives and friends. The usual suspects arrived within the hour. Everyone was there except the one person who mattered most to Andy. Unfortunately, Miranda and Nigel were stuck in traffic and still quite a ways away. Emily stayed on the phone with her, relaying information to Miranda while praying the editor would get there soon because Andy had declared that she was not having the baby without her._

_"Andy, your contractions are closer together now. I don't know if Miranda's going to make it." Emily said worriedly._

_"No! Miranda will get here." Andy said between breaths. "She'll make it."_

_Dr. Claiborne arrived and looked at Andy's condition. "Mrs. Priestly, It appears that you are ready to have this baby."_

**_"_ ** _Ab...so...lute..ly... NOT!_ _**"** _ _Andy yelled through her pain._

_Emily wiped the sweat from her brow as she looked at the doctor. "She's gone mad! She refuses to have this baby without Miranda." Emily told the doctor._

_"Well, we need to get Miranda in here because this baby is coming. Now." The doctor said in a stern voice._

_"There's a problem with that... Miranda is stuck in traffic." Emily added holding up her cell. "She's on the phone."_

_The doctor snatched the phone from Emily's hand and spoke very briskly with Miranda. A few moments later, she handed the phone back to the redhead and turned her attention to Andy. "Miranda just informed me that she forbids you from waiting and putting yourself in danger. She wants you to hold the phone to your ear and she will be with you the entire time."_

_Tears sprang to Andy's eyes. This was not how she wanted it to be. She wanted Miranda there holding her hand. "Miranda?"_

_"_ _Yes, darling."_

_"_ _I need you. I need you here." Andy cried._

_"_ _I know, sweetheart. I'm trying." The sound of her wife crying tore at Miranda's soul. Pushing the door open, she got out of the car and looked around. "I'm coming, sweetheart. You just do what the doctor says and I will be there soon. I promise."_

_Miranda tossed him the phone and took off. Nigel's eyes bugged as she witnessed something he had never seen before. Miranda Priestly was running up the street in a pair of four-inch Jimmy Choos. He jumped out of the car and followed. It took every athletic bone in his body to keep up with Miranda._

_"_ _She will get here. I know it." Andy yelled through the pain. "Ohhh! Shit this hurts!"_

_Emily wiped her brow and helped her breathe through another contraction as the doctors got into position._

_Miranda finally made it to the hospital with Nigel hot on her heels. She didn't even bother with the elevator. Sprinting up the seven flights of stairs to the maternity ward, Miranda was glad she had kept up her exercise regimen. As she rounded the corner, she nearly ran into Doug who was pacing in the hallway._

_"Douglas! Where is Andrea? How is she?" Miranda asked panicked and out of breath._

_Doug grabbed her hands and got Miranda to focus. "Shhh... Andy is fine. She's through there. Emily is with her now."_

_Miranda quickly made her way to the door before he even finished talking._

_"Come on Andy! You can do this. Just breathe." Emily wiped the sweat from her friend's face. "Just hang in there a little longer and my godson will be here."_

_"No! Miranda's not here." Andy panted._

_"Miranda is coming, but you have to keep pushing."_

_"_ _Oh god!... I want… Mir…an…da!_ _**"** _

_"I'm here! I'm here, darling! I'm here." Miranda said in a hurry as she rushed to her wife's side completely out of breath._

_Emily let out a sagged in relief and moved aside. "Thank God. I'll be passed out in the waiting room."_

_"Miranda! You're here. I told them you would be here." Andy said looking at Miranda through weary eyes. "You always keep your promises,"_

_Miranda smiled and kissed her forehead. "Andrea, I'm here now, so I need you to push. We'll do this together."_

_"_ _Okay."_

_After a few minutes of pushing, Andy leaned back against the pillow drenched in sweat. She was exhausted and tired of hearing everyone telling her to push and breathe. "I can't! I'm tired. I can't do this anymore!" Andy said panting between words._

_"Yes, you can. Just one more, sweetheart. Please."_

**_"_ ** _I can't! OOOH! God! This... hurts so much!" Andy squeezed Miranda's hand so hard Miranda thought she would drop to her knees._

_"_ _You're doing great. Just breathe, darling."_

**_"_ ** _Breathe! Breathe! What kind of lame ass advice is that, Miranda?!" Andy snapped. "All this breathing crap is bullshit! I swear to god, the next person that tells me to breathe is getting their ass kicked! I already know how to breathe. Goddamn it you breathe!"_

_Miranda looked at Dr. Claiborne in pain as Andy clenched her hand again. She had no idea her wife was so strong. Miranda was sure she'd never be able to hold a pen again._

_Andy glared at Miranda. "You've had two of these things. You knew this would hurt! Why did you let me do this to my body?"_

_"I love you, darling. You're doing fine."_

_"Well I hate you right now! OWW! God help me this kid must be the size of Paul Bunyan or something."_

_"_ _You're doing great honey." She looked at Andy lovingly and kissed her forehead. "Have I told you how proud I am of you? You are so amazing. You can do this. Just hang in there. It's almost over."_

_Andy laid her head back and panted. "Miranda…."_

_"_ _You can do this, Andrea. Our son is just a little stubborn, but you can do it, darling." Miranda said trying to convince her. "I believe in you, Andrea. I always have."_

_"_ _The head is out. I just need one more push, Andy." Dr. Claiborne added._

_Miranda kissed her forehead gently and stared into her eyes. "You are the love of my life, Andrea. I waited so long to find you. You put up with me every single day because you love me. I just need you to do one more thing for me. I need you to bring our son into the world, darling. Just one more push."_

_Andy bore down and squeezed Miranda's hand drawing from her strength and gave one last push. When Andy slumped back, there was complete silence in the room. After about two or three seconds, they both heard the most beautiful sound. A loud shrill cry erupted in the room._

_"Congratulations you two! You're baby boy is here."_

_"Oh, he's here. Miranda, did you hear that? He's here."_

_Miranda was too emotional to speak._

_"_ _Would you like to cut the cord, Miranda?"_

_Miranda blinked a few times and nodded. She moved over and took the medical scissors and cut the cord. She was so nervous; Dr. Claiborne had to hold her hands steady. Andy smiled through her tears._

_Miranda sat down on the stool in complete silence. She couldn't find her voice as she saw Dr. Claiborne hold up their son. The nurses took him over to a nearby table to clean him up. Miranda turned and faced her wife._

_Miranda's eyes filled with tears as she kissed Andy's forehead. "Oh my god, you did it. There he is."_

_"_ _His eyes are the bluest I've ever seen." The nurse said as she gently placed the baby in Andy's arms._

_Andy looked down and started to cry. He looked just like she had as a baby except he had the most incredible blue eyes._

_"Hey there little man... that's right you're our little boy."_

_"He's beautiful, Andrea." Miranda whispered as she stroked the top of her son's head. She looked up and smiled at Andy with tears streaming down her cheeks. "I can't believe you did this. Thank you."_

_"We did this...together. I love you."_

_"I love you." Miranda leaned in and kissed her softly. The both pulled apart as their new son let out a loud wail. "... and I love you too!"_

_"_ _Did you see? He has your eyes"._

_Miranda smiled as those big blue eyes blinked at her. She touched his little hand and watched in amazement as his tiny hand latched on to her pinky. Miranda was instantly smitten. Andy witnessed the exchanged and smiled._

_"_ _I think he's already wrapping you around his fingers."_

_Miranda chuckled. She couldn't deny it. She knew she would give this boy the world if he asked. "Indeed he has."_

_"_ _I'm sorry I yelled at you and you know I could never hate you." Andy said caressing Miranda's warm cheek._

_Miranda leaned into her hand and looked down at their son. "I think you just made it up to me."_

 

"Like I said, you turned into a complete mush ball."

"That's entirely debatable."

"Oh really? You're going to sit there and act like your son doesn't have you wrapped around his little finger? You ran five blocks in heels to get to his birth."

Miranda pursed her lips. "I was being a dutiful wife."

"Okay, well how about the time you tried to buy an entire circus for his 1st birthday?"

Miranda's eyes glowed a little at the memory. "Clowns would always make him smile. I don't know why you wouldn't allow more than just that one measly clown… although I did find it rather entertaining to see Nigel in that get-up."

"So did I, but trying to hire an entire circus because he smiled at a clown was ridiculous. He was only one, Miranda. He smiled at the damn ceiling fan." Andy laughed.

"So you say."

"Okay, what about when you bought him a pony because he pointed to one on the television." Andy held up a finger to stop Miranda from interrupting. "And I didn't even find out about that little joy until after the fact. Imagine my surprise when your new assistant called asking me if I knew where we would be placing the stable for the damn thing."

"Nonsense, Andrea. Everyone knows taking care of a pet like a pony builds character and responsibility in a child." Miranda responded regally.

"Alex was two. Exactly how was he supposed to take care of a pony on his own?"

"The girls agreed to help."

"Because you promised to buy them new state-of-the-art cell phones." She nodded when she saw Miranda flinch. "Yep, I totally knew about that too. And just in case I haven't proven my point yet, I just have four words for you."

"What?"

"Pinky and the Brain."

Miranda opened her mouth to object but quickly closed it. She even had the good grace to blush which only made Andy laugh harder.

 

_-Flashback: 4 Years Ago-_

_Louisa met Miranda as she opened the door. "I am sorry to call you at work, Miranda but with Miss Andy out of town this week, I did not know what else to do._

_"_ _You did the right thing, Louisa. What happened?"_

_Louisa shrugged her shoulders. "Cassidy called this morning and they spoke on the phone for a while. When Alexander finished the call, he would not stop crying. He was very upset."_

_Miranda handed off her purse and coat. "That explains it then. She left a message at my office earlier. Cassidy was supposed to be home today for a visit. She'd planned to take Alexander trick-or-treating tonight. Where is he?"_

_"_ _I tried to get him to eat but he would not. He is in his room."_

_"_ _Alright. Thank you, Louisa, I'll take it from here."_

_Miranda quickly climbed the stairs to the third floor and made her way down the hallway. The door to Alex's bedroom was slightly ajar and she could hear soft sniffling coming from inside. She found her son curled up in a ball on his bed. Her heart ached in her chest when he looked up at her with his big blue eyes filled with tears._

_"_ _Mommy"_

_"_ _Oh, dear heart. What's the matter?" Miranda asked taking a seat on his bed. She wiped his tears away with her Hermes scarf. "Why all the tears?"_

_"_ _Cassie can't come home for Halloween."_

_"_ _I know that, sweetheart. Cassidy is very disappointed too, but she had to stay at school so she could finish her class. I know you really wanted to see her, but she will be home very soon for Thanksgiving and you know that you can call her any time you like."_

_"_ _But she won't be my Pinky." He pouted._

_Miranda frowned. "Your pinky?"_

_"_ _Cassie was going to be Pinky and I was going to be Brain. See?" He pointed his little finger at the costume hanging on his closet door._

_Miranda eyed it. Her son had recently become very enamored with some ridiculous cartoon called Pinky and the Brain._

_"_ _You can still go and wear your costume, darling. We can take lots of pictures and send them to Cassidy on the computer so she can see them."_

_Alex turned over and continued to cry. "It's not the same. I can't be the Brain without my Pinky."_

_Miranda rubbed his back gently. She hated seeing her son cry. "What if you wore one of your other costumes? You could wear the Superman suit with the bright red cape."_

_Alex shook his head._

_"_ _What about the Batman suit? I know you love that one."_

_Alex's answer was another sniffle._

_Miranda looked at the ceiling and sighed heavily. The things she did for her children. "What if Mommy went with you then… as Pinky?"_

_Alex rolled over and eyed his mother suspiciously. The look was as intense as Miranda's RUNWAY glare. Under different circumstances, Miranda would have laughed._

_"_ _You'll be my Pinky?"_

_"_ _Has Mommy ever let you down before, little one? Of course, I will. Do you want Mommy to be Pinky?"_

_All of the money and success in the world couldn't compete with the gleaming smile on her son's precious face. It could have lit all of Time Square._

_"_ _Yes! Thank you, Mommy!"_

_"_ _You're welcome, darling."_

_While Alexander danced around the room singing the theme song to Pinky and the Brain, Miranda was already making a call to her assistant._

_"_ _I need an adult sized costume of Pinky from that cartoon my son likes. If it is not delivered to my house by five o'clock this evening, I will be very disappointed. That's all."_

" _Yes Miranda."_

_Several hours later, an exhausted Andy hauled her luggage through the door. After receiving a call from Cassidy that morning about the Halloween catastrophe, she hopped on the first flight back to New York._

_"_ _Alex? Hey bud, Mama's home." She called as she rushed up the stairs holding the costume she'd purchased on the way home. "Alex, Mama knows all about Cassie and I'm going to take her place okay? I even have a costume."_

_Turning the corner into the upstairs family room, Andy stopped in the doorway in complete shock. Standing before her was her son dressed as a short white mouse complete with pink and white make-up and little black whiskers. His little tail was even bent as a staircase just like in the cartoon. He looked absolutely adorable. But that wasn't the most shocking part of the scene before her. Andy blinked several times just to make sure she wasn't seeing things. There was no way Miranda Priestly, the undeniable Queen of the Fashion World, was standing next to their son dressed as a tall lanky mouse with pink ears and a bright red nose._

_Alex saw his mother in the doorway and barreled into her legs. Andy recovered from the shock and bent down to kiss his chubby cheek._

_"_ _Oh my goodness, don't you look adorable. I almost didn't recognize you. You look just like Brain."_

_"_ _Look Mama, Mommy is my Pinky!" He said pointing back at his other mother._

_Andy stood and took a good look at her wife. She grinned wickedly._

_"_ _Not one word." Miranda said sending her most frightening glare in Andy's direction. Considering she was dressed as a fuzzy mouse, the glare wasn't very effective._

_To Andy's credit, she didn't say a single word, but she did take pictures with her cell phone. She knew she would need actual proof if anyone would ever believe her._

_"_ _Andrea, give me that phone!" Miranda growled._

_Andy pulled her phone away and out of Miranda's reach. "Oh no. This is too good to pass up!"_

_"_ _Andrea, come back here!"_

_Alex laughed as he watched his mother's running through the house. Grownups were so funny… and his Mommy was the best Pinky ever._

"Oh my God! You were so funny chasing me around the house in that costume!" Andy laughed through her tears.

 

Miranda found her laughter contagious and soon joined in. To this day, she wondered if Andy still had a copy of that photo hidden away just in case she ever needed it. Knowing her wife as she did, she was sure she did.

"Alright, I'll admit that I might have a… small weakness when it comes to Alexander. However, I have a legitimate excuse."

"And what would that be?"

"You."

"Me?"

"Yes, Andrea. It's all your fault really." Miranda responded in a haughty tone.

Andy scoffed in disbelief. "How do you figure that?"

"I could never say no to anything you asked of me. As soon as you would bat those enormous doe eyes and smile that little grin of yours, I would give you the world. Alexander is practically the mirror image of you. Therefore, it is all your fault." Miranda finished with a dismissive wave.

Andy shook her head. "I must be really crazy because that just made me love you even more."

"I have been saying you were crazy for years, darling. Do keep up."

Andy laughed out loud. "Oh my god! You are the most impossible woman I've ever met, Miranda."

Miranda smiled and watched the playful twinkle return to those brown eyes. Even if she knew it was only for a moment, she was happy to see it. She knew tomorrow would prove to be quite difficult for the younger woman no matter how she tried to deny it. So, if playing the teasing wife was the only comfort she could bring Andy, she would gladly play the role.

"Well aren't you lucky then." Miranda said with a twinkle in her eyes.

Andy's eyes softened as she pulled Miranda into a kiss. "Luckiest in the world." As she lay in Miranda's arms, she placed a soft kiss on the older woman's neck. "Thank you, Miranda. I really needed that." She whispered.

Miranda's only response was to hold her tighter.

 


	9. Chapter 9

 

"Moms, I can't fix my tie!" Alex whined as he attempted to get the knot right again. He tore it off and tossed it on the bed. "I hate this crap!"

"Alright bud. There is no excuse for that kind of language. Your mother would kill us both if she heard you." Andy said as she retrieved his new tie. "You want to tell me what has you so upset?"

He shrugged his shoulders and pouted. Andy lifted his chin with her finger and raised a brow. He huffed. "I hate your dad and I don't want to go to his stinking funeral!"

Andy tilted her head back and took a deep breath. She took a seat on the bed, careful not to wrinkle her black Chanel dress too much, and pulled him in front of her so they were eye to eye. "Alexander Paine?"

Alex immediately tensed. Unlike his other mother, Andy never called him Alexander. It was always Alex or Bud. Andy only called him Alexander when she was angry or disappointed. When she said called him Alexander Paine, she really meant business.

"Yes ma'am."

"What have I said about using the word hate?"

He bit his lip nervously as she patiently waited for his response. Looking down at his new dress shoes, he mumbled.

"Excuse me, young man. Is that how you respond to someone asking you a serious question?"

Alex stood up straight, lifted his chin, and looked her in the eye. "You always say that hate is too heavy a burden to bear and that everyone and everything that you hate is engraved upon your heart."

"And?" Andy prompted.

"And if you want to really let go of something or move on, you can't hate it…"

"Because it stays with you forever." Andy finished for him. She smiled slowly as the realization of what she had just said set in. Tears rushed to her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Moms." Alex said looking troubled. "I didn't mean to make you cry."

Andy blinked back her tears and held his face in her hands. "Oh my sweet boy. Thank you."

Alex blinked with confusion. "Huh?"

She chuckled and started putting on his tie. "You didn't make me cry, sweetheart. Actually… you did me a favor."

"I did?"

Andy nodded. "Yes, you did. You helped me remember something I'd forgotten; something I really needed to hear today."

"I'm sorry I said I hated your dad. I don't really hate him." He said sheepishly.

"It's okay, bud. I know you don't. I don't hate him either."

Alex looked at her skeptically. "But he made you sad and he hurt you. I'm only eight but I hear stuff, you know?"

Andy finished his tie and adjusted his collar. She placed her hands on his shoulders and looked into his big blue eyes. "I know this past week was confusing for you. It's been kind of confusing for me too."

"Really?"

"Yep. For a long time, I thought I had made peace with the way things were between me and my dad, but I hadn't. I was really angry with my dad and I hated some of the things he did, but I never hated him… the person. My dad said some things that hurt my feelings and made me sad. I'm sure I might be a little sad today too because I'll have to remember what made me sad in the first place. You see, my dad didn't know how to love me for who I was. He couldn't see me…" She placed a hand over her heart. "He couldn't see the person I am in here. But that's okay because you see me. Cass, Carrie, Uncle Doug, Uncle Nigel and Aunt Emily can all see me."

"Can Mom see you here?" He asked touching her heart.

"Yes. Yes, she can. She sees me best of all." She said blinking away a few tears. She helped him slip into his suit coat and smoothed down his hair. "And you, my handsome prince, are ready to go."

"Thanks Moms. Can I go play my game until we leave?"

"Sure. But try not to wrinkle your suit. We'll be leaving for the church soon."

"Okay."

She watched him rush over to the door only to pause and turn back around. She tilted her head. He bit his lip and scuffed his shoes before running back over into her arms. She held him tightly and ran a hand through his thick hair.

"I love you, Moms."

"Oh, I love you too, Alex… so much."

She watched him go, noting how much he had grown in the last year. A tinge of sadness filled her for a moment because she knew that he too would eventually grow up and make his way out into the world just as the girls had. She pushed the thought away knowing that time was still a good ways away. When she looked up, she saw Miranda in the doorway putting on her earring.

Miranda tilted her head slightly. "Everything alright, darling?"

Andy stood and met Miranda across the room. Miranda welcomed her into her arms and kissed her forehead.

"Yeah. Everything is just as it should be."

Miranda caressed her cheek gently. "The car has arrived downstairs. Are you ready?"

Andy took a deep breath and nodded. "Think I am."

 

* * *

 

The church was nearly full to capacity when the family finally arrived. The girls had taken Alex inside already and they had taken a seat on the second pew. When Andy and Miranda stepped out of the limo, they were met by Audrey, Josh, and the priest. After sharing a brief prayer, the four of them made their way into the church behind Father Lucas. Andy had felt her brother's eyes on her but she had kept her focus on the feel of Miranda's hand holding hers as the shiny black casket sitting in the front of the church came into her view. They all took a seat on the front pew with Andy seated between Audrey and Miranda.

The service was simple and reserved. Richard's brother, Henry stood and read Richard's favorite passage from the Bible. Andy and Audrey were both relieved that he appeared to be sober today. Josh followed with a very brief speech about what he would remember most about his father. Andy noted that he kept his eyes down on the small piece of paper on the podium. She could tell that he was struggling with reconciling the father he had adored with the man who had turned his back on his sister. Andy's heart went out to him and her first instinct was to play the protective sister and try to take away his pain. But she could not do that today or any other day to come. She finally realized that it wasn't her job to protect him anymore. Her duty was to the three amazing children behind her and the wonderful woman sitting beside her.

After her brother took his seat, Andy felt both her mother and wife squeeze her hands, silently giving her strength. She made her way up to the podium and looked out over the mass of people.

"I am Andrea Sachs-Priestly and Richard Josiah Sachs was my father. But most of you here already know that. Most of you also know that my father and I were estranged for some time. That truth caused me to struggle with what I would say today." She paused for a long moment. "How could I put a man's entire life into one speech… a man I felt like I no longer knew? It seems that no matter what I wrote, it fell short or rang untrue. You see, I think that when someone you love passes away, there is that strong temptation to remember perhaps a little too well. We tend to forget about the offenses, transgressions, or misdeeds accrued over time. You are expected to put away only the most shining characteristics as keepsakes and memories of our beloved one when they depart. The problem with that is that you end up not truly remembering your loved one as they really were."

"My father was not a perfect man. He was human and he made mistakes." She glanced over the crowd until her eyes found a familiar pair of blue eyes. "But some of the greatest life lessons can be learned from mistakes. Through losing my father, I have learned a very important lesson. I've learned that we are not put on this earth to be perfect. We are meant to be whole. A man's mistakes are not the sum total of his life. So rather than focusing on things that no longer matter, I would like to remember what made my father… the man I once knew… who he was." She paused and smiled at her family.

"Richard Sachs was many things, but there are only a few that really matter. He was for many years a husband." She looked at her mother who had tears in her eyes. "He loved one woman in his life and she loved him in return." She looked at her brother. "He was the father of an honorable and kind young man. A man I'm proud to call my brother." She watched her brother wipe away a tear. She nodded to him to let him know that she had meant that.

"Richard Sachs was also a brother, an uncle, a cousin, a friend…" She paused and looked at her three children. "He was the hero who would chase away the monsters under a little girl's bed so she would feel safe… the perfect playmate to toss her into the air and catch her so she could know what it felt like to fly. He was the amazing athlete in the eyes of an adoring little boy because he could actually hit the backboard when he shot a basketball."

A few people, including Josh, all laughed. She paused and looked at the many familiar faces and family members. She was surprised to see many of them smiling back at her in understanding. "He was flawed. He was loved… and he will be missed. Thank you."

As she made her way back towards her seat, she paused by the casket and placed a hand on the shiny surface. "Goodbye Daddy."

 

* * *

 

Quotes Used:

"I have decided to stick to love… Hate is too great a burden to bear." -Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

"If you want to forget something or someone, never hate it, or never hate him/her. Everything and everyone that you hate is engraved upon your heart; if you want to let go of something, if you want to forget, you cannot hate." –C. JoyBell C.

"We are not put on this earth to be perfect. We are meant to be whole." -Jane Fonda

 


	10. Chapter 10

 

"Are you sure you can't stay longer?" Audrey asked hugging Andy once again.

"Sorry Mom. Alex needs to get back to school to finish up the school year and the girls have finals coming up soon. Besides, Miranda has to start making the transition from _RUNWAY_ to being the big bad Chairwoman of Elias-Clarke. She'll start climbing the walls soon if she doesn't have anyone to terrorize."

Miranda rolled her eyes. "Nonsense. I still have you around for that, darling."

Andy and Audrey both laughed.

"It won't be long before you see us again. You're coming out to California for the girls' graduation right?"

"Of course. I wouldn't miss it for the world. I can't believe their already finishing up college. Where did the time go?"

"I know. It's been so quiet around the house these last few years. I'm not sure what to expect when they move back." Miranda said watching the children play basketball with Josh across the driveway.

"They're really moving back?" Audrey asked surprised.

Andy nodded. "Yep. They both have jobs lined up in New York so Miranda decided to let them move into the bottom floor apartment at the townhouse. It has its own entrance so they can come and go as they please… or at least that's what they think."

Audrey laughed. "They have no idea what they're getting into, do they?"

Andy shrugged. "I don't care. I'm just glad to have them back. Alex went nuts when they told him. I think having a kid brother cramping their style might be more of an issue than the over-bearing mother."

"Don't you mean mothers?"

"Nah, I'm the cool mom." Andy said crossing her arms.

She and Miranda both rolled their eyes. "Uh huh." Everyone knew Andy was more protective of the girls when it came to dating. The girls used to refer to her as the Priestly Pit-bull.

"What? I _am_ the cool Mom."

"If you say so, but I seem to recall you not being that particularly cool when our girls first started dating." Miranda said.

 

_-Flashback: Seven Years Ago-_

_Miranda stepped out in the backyard of the townhouse and looked around. She had looked everywhere and Andy was nowhere to be found. Miranda was confused because she knew that her wife was home. As she turned to go back inside the house, she heard noises coming from the garden area. She smiled as she spotted her wife on her knees pulling weeds_

_Miranda slowly made her way over, careful not to startle her while Andy was handling a sharp pair of shears. Hearing the approaching footsteps, Andy turned slightly but kept working._

_"Did you not hear me calling you, darling or are you just ignoring me?" Miranda said allowing her eyes to take in the vision before her._

_Andy looked up from her position on the ground and wiped the sweat from her brow, eyes squinted from the sunlight. "I was busy."_

_Miranda bit her lip and tried to ignore how alluring Andy looked all sweaty and dirty. Who knew all it took was a tiny white Northwestern tank top and a pair of old jeans to turn Miranda Priestly on. Miranda always pretended to be appalled by the plebeian clothing Andy wore around the house, but they both knew she secretly loved it. Miranda was sure her young wife wore the tight shirts and jeans deliberately to drive her to distraction._

_Andy stood and moved around Miranda for a bag of potting soil. She lifted the large bag over her shoulder and carried it to the other end of the garden. Miranda bit her lip at the sight. The muscles in Andy's arms and shoulders were flexing beneath perfect skin. The soft sheen of sweat made it look like her entire body was glowing in the sunlight._

_Miranda shook her head and regained her focus. "Andrea, you cannot stay out here and brood all day."_

_"Who says I'm brooding? The garden needed weeding and I needed to pot the new plants Louisa brought yesterday. That's what I'm doing."_

_Miranda merely raised a brow in response. Andy raised her own in return before moving back to her original spot._

_Miranda stood behind her and crossed her arms. Andy could feel Miranda's intense glare on the back of her head. She tossed the shears aside and growled. "Fine. I'm brooding. Why can't I just stay out here and brood all by myself?"_

_"Because our daughter is in there getting ready for her first date and she wants her mothers… both of them… to see her off."_

_"I don't want her to go." Andy sat back on her knees and glared up at her wife._

_"Darling, we talked about this. If I'm not mistaken, you were the one to convince me it was time to allow them to date alone and you said you were okay with her going out with Pierce."_

_"I know, but who is this boy... Pierce? I mean, what kind of name is that? He sounds like a thirty year old playboy. What do we really know about this kid? I haven't even met him yet. He could be some punk... and you want me to trust him with my…my…"_

_Miranda smiled softly. She knew that her wife adored both the twins. After a rocky start, the twins grew to adore Andy and she had become the steady second parent they had always needed. Andy brought the stability and security that even their father was not able to provide. They were as close as any parent and child could be but Miranda knew that Andy still questioned her place in their lives from time to time._

_"_ _Your daughter?"_

_Andy stood and shoved her hands into her pockets, a habit that manifested itself when the brunette was nervous or agitated._

_"_ _She is, you know? They both are. They've been yours from the very beginning… even when they tried to dislike you."_

_Andy couldn't help but grin a little in that aw-shucks way that Miranda found utterly charming._

_"_ _They're really growing aren't they?"_

_Miranda stepped close and gently wiped a smudge of dirt from Andy's cheek. "I'm afraid so, darling."_

_They were both having a difficult time watching the girls grow up; however because it was Caroline first, this made it a little more difficult for Andy. Andy had always been very protective of Caroline. Caroline was very much like Miranda. She could be very cool and prickly on the outside but that was only to protect her extremely sensitive heart. Andy had recognized this from the start and worked hard to convince the young girl that she was in it for the long haul. Once Caroline had come around, it was obvious that she adored Andy and Andy felt the need to protect her from any harm._

_"If it will make you feel better, you should know that I had the young man checked out. His father is a partner at James' firm and his mother is the Assistant Principal at Dalton. I've known them both for years. He volunteers in the pediatrics wing at Bellevue Hospital. All evidence points to him being a suitable date for Caroline."_

_"If you say so." Andy grumbled._

_"We have to accept that she's not a child anymore. She's growing into a beautiful young woman." Miranda said realizing just how difficult it was for her to admit it herself._

_"I know she's beautiful; they both are. Anyone with eyes can see that. That's why I don't want her to go out with this kid."_

_Miranda chuckled with amusement. "Andrea, you don't want her to go out with anyone. This isn't about this boy at all. This is about you."_

_Andy looked down and kicked the dirt with her sneaker. Miranda caressed her cheek. "I know you don't want the girls to grow up; neither do I. Every time I look at them, I think about bringing them home from the hospital for the first time. But we don't have a choice, sweetheart. They're not eight years old anymore. They're almost sixteen. They're both turning into wonderful young ladies and that is greatly due to you."_

_Andy shook her head. "No, they were already great kids by the time I came into the picture."_

_Miranda raised a brow. "Need I remind you of the pranks they pulled on my assistants, you included? Or should I remind you of how spoiled they were until you gave them chores and taught them about responsibility? No darling, those girls are who they are in great part because of you and your influence."_

_Andy remained quiet, still sulking a bit._

_"_ _Caroline is a very smart and mature girl. We've raised her to respect and carry herself like a lady. Now, we have to trust that she will do just that."_

_"I know... I know. That doesn't mean I have to like it." Andy said with disdain._

_Miranda chuckled. "No, it doesn't, but it does mean that you have to play the role of the doting mother for her. She wants so badly for you to approve of this. You don't want to disappoint her do you?"_

_"You don't play fair, Miranda."_

_Miranda laughed. "What would be the fun in that?"_

_Andy sighed heavily. "Okay. Okay. I'll go inside and see her off... on her ... date." Andy said the last word like it was the plague._

_"Her first date." Miranda added._

_"Alright, I get it. This is her first date and I should be there for it."_

_"That's my girl." Miranda said with a grin that quickly turned to a frown as she eyed her wife's filthy clothing. "But first...you will shower and make yourself more presentable. I will not have this young man thinking our daughter is from some hillbilly family with questionable personal hygiene and missing teeth."_

_Andy looked down at herself and grinned back at Miranda knowingly. "What? You don't like my new rustic look?"_

_Miranda's eyes darkened as her eyes devoured every inch of her wife's body. "I said nothing about disliking it. It might even be worth revisiting at a more appropriate time. However, Caroline might die of embarrassment. Now, come along. You need to shower then check on her. She changed clothes three times before I came out here. I think it's safe to say that she's a little nervous." Miranda said causing Andy to laugh._

_"Three times? She really is a Priestly woman isn't she?" Andy said brushing herself off as she followed._

_Miranda just laughed. "Indeed."_

_After a quick shower and change, Andy finally made her way up to Caroline's room. She stopped in her tracks when she saw Caroline sitting at the vanity brushing her hair. Andy's breath caught in her throat. Caroline looked so lovely. She and Cassidy had grown into such beautiful young girls. They were tall with long auburn hair, which complemented their big blue eyes... and that smile. They had Miranda's incredible smile. Caroline glanced up into the mirror and saw Andy leaning against the door staring at her._

_"Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you." Andy said looking down, studying a spot on the floor._

_"You didn't. I can always tell when you're near me, Moms."_

_"Can I come in for a minute?"_

_Caroline smiled brightly. "You don't have to ask to come in, Moms."_

_"I just wanted to be sure. I know how you girls are about your space." Andy walked in and took a seat on the bed._

_Caroline rolled her eyes, looking eerily like her other mother. "So, how do I look? Mom helped me pick this out to wear." Caroline asked standing up. She twirled around for Andy._

_Andy felt herself tearing up. She just looked at her daughter and smiled warmly. "You know your mom has great taste. Anyone would be lucky to have the Queen of Fashion choose their clothes, but... you'd look beautiful in jeans and a t-shirt. You know that."_

_"Thanks Moms." Caroline tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and looked down shyly. "You weren't around and… I was a little worried."_

_"Worried about what, sweetheart?"_

_"I thought you didn't want me to go on this date…that you might say I couldn't go, you know… because you haven't met him." Caroline said going back to doing her hair._

_Andy was quiet for a moment. She then took a deep breath and responded. "Miranda said that he is a very nice boy. We both know your mother wouldn't allow you to go out with anyone that she didn't approve of so...I think you'll have a good time with him." Andy stood from the bed. "Well, I'm going to go and let you finish getting dressed. I'll let you know when your date gets here."_

_"Okay"_

_Caroline stared at Andy through the mirror for a moment. "Hey Moms?"_

_Andy stopped and turned around. "Yeah."_

_"I love you."_

_"I love you too, kiddo... and just so you know, I will probably never like any of the guys you date. Nobody will ever be good enough for you in my eyes. I'll see you downstairs." Andy gave her a wink and smile before slipping out the door._

_As Andy made her way downstairs, the doorbell rang. She saw Miranda making her way over to the door._

_When Miranda opened it, she was greeted by a very handsome but obviously nervous teenage boy._

_"Hi… Hello... Mrs. Priestly... I'm Pierce. I…ummm... I'm... I'm here to… for Caroline." Pierce stuttered._

_Miranda blinked and tilted her head. There was something strangely familiar about him. He was tall and lanky with thick brown hair and big brown eyes. She simply gave him a nod and allowed him inside. Andy made her way across the foyer to meet him. When Miranda saw the two of them together, she instantly understood. She bit back a smile. Apparently, Caroline was more like her than she ever thought._

_"Pierce, this is Caroline's other mother, Andrea."_

_Pierce extended his hand to her. Andy just stared at him for a moment. The stare was one that rivaled even Miranda's. Miranda cleared her throat. Andy finally reached out and shook his outstretched hand._

_"So, you're Pierce?" Andy asked as they moved into the living room. "My wife and daughter have told me quite a bit about you. It's a shame that I haven't met you before tonight."_

_"Well, Caroline has told me a lot about you too, ma'am. You and Mrs. Priestly are all she talks about." He said nervously._

_"Well, Caroline is very special. I'm sure you understand how protective I am of her right, Pierce?" Andy said evenly._

_Pierce nodded nervously. "Yes ma'am."_

_"Pierce, you're not going to give me any reason to worry about my daughter while she's with you are you? Because I would hate to think that I would have anything to worry about concerning you."_

_Pierce shook his head. "No ma'am."_

_"Good... Then, you'll have her home by ten and not a minute later?"_

_"Yes, ma'am... ten."_

_Miranda had originally planned to put the fear of God in the boy herself, but apparently there was no need. She actually felt a little sorry for him. It was obvious that he was very nervous and shy to boot. Not to mention, Andy could be very intimidating when she wanted to be. Andy's sweet appearance could be quite deceiving. Just as Andy was about to grill him some more, Caroline made her way into the room._

_"Hi Pierce." She said shyly._

_"Hi... You look..." Pierce caught a glimpse of Andy glaring at him in the corner of his eye and changed his words. "...nice. You look very nice" He walked to her and smiled. "I... umm... I brought these for you." He handed her the bouquet of flowers that he had brought._

_Caroline blushed. "Thank you."_

_Suddenly remembering, he turned and handed the two smaller bouquets to Andy and Miranda. "I forgot. I brought these for you too."_

_The considerate act seemed to thaw the chill in the air. Miranda smirked as she saw the tension leave Andy's body._

_Andy couldn't help it. She didn't want to like him, but she did. He was charming and he made her little girl's face light up. Caroline looked so happy. Andy found herself smiling at them in spite of herself. Miranda noticed and put her arm around her waist. She leaned in and whispered in Andy's ear._

_"That wasn't so bad, was it?"_

_Andy just nodded and smiled._

_"Mom... Moms. Roy is out front; we're going to go now. I'll be home before curfew. I promise." Caroline said giving them each a hug._

_"_ _Have a good time, darling. You look beautiful." Miranda whispered into her ear._

_"Have fun." Was all Andy could manage._

_They watched them walk out. Andy went to the window and peaked out. "Aww, honey! He beat Roy to the door and opened it for her. They look so cute."_

_"Now, they're cute together? Just a few minutes ago, you wanted to castrate the boy." Miranda chuckled_

_"I know, but she's my little girl... that's not so little anymore." Andy sat down on the bottom step._

_Miranda sat down next to her and pulled her into her arms. "You know... it doesn't really matter how old she gets... she's always going to be our daughter. That won't change."_

_Andy laughed and snuggled more into Miranda. "How can you be so calm about this stuff? I would have thought you would have been breathing fire by now. You are the 'Dragon Lady' after all."_

_Miranda chuckled. "I'm not calm. I hate the fact that she's dating now. And to think, Cassidy has her own date next week."_

_Andy groaned. "I hate teenage boys! I feel like I need to get a shot-gun or something."_

_"_ _I know. With them both dating, I'll have to do background checks on every teenage boy in New York City." Miranda said evenly._

_Andy laughed. "You'd really do that wouldn't you?"_

_"What? Your mother did the same thing to me and I was a wealthy upstanding magazine editor."_

_Andy laughed even harder. "Oh, stop it! My mother did no such thing."_

_"_ _Maybe she should have. My intentions weren't exactly pure as far as you were concerned." Miranda looked at her suggestively and grinned. Andy blushed._

_"What are your intentions now?" Andy asked._

_Miranda answered with a passionate kiss._

_Andy pulled back just long enough to speak. "Where's Cass and Alex?"_

_"Study group and napping in the nursery." Miranda mumbled over her lips._

_"Good. Let's go." Andy stood and pulled Miranda behind her up the stairs._

_"Where are we going?"_

_"Use that big brain of yours, sweetheart. I'm sure you'll figure it out." Andy said pulling Miranda in for another blistering kiss. "Any objections?"_

_Miranda shook her head and allowed herself to be led up to their bedroom._

 

"Okay, I might have been a **_little_** over-protective. There's nothing wrong with that. I am _still_ the cool mom. I'm not the one that freaked about Cassidy's new girlfriend."

"Cassidy has a new girlfriend?" Audrey asked.

Andy grinned mischievously. "Yep. Her name is Keisha Norwood. She's a NYU graduate that looks like Naomi Campbell. She's perfect for Cass and Miranda freaked out and scared the shit out of the girl by answering Cass' phone."

"I did no such thing. I find Keisha quite… suitable. I was simply surprised that my daughter's new paramour was my assistant. I have adjusted accordingly to the situation." Miranda said in a haughty tone.

Andy and Audrey both laughed. They knew it wasn't Keisha that Miranda had a problem with. It was the fact that the two had carried on a yearlong secret affair right under the editor's nose."

"See. I'm still the cool mom." Andy said pointing at herself.

"Of course you are, darling. We never doubted that for a single moment." Miranda leaned over and kissed her chastely on the lips before walking into the house.

Andy frowned. "Why do I get the feeling she's mocking me?"

Audrey laughed. "Because you're married to Miranda Priestly… and she is."

Audrey's laughter trailed off as she saw her son walking up to the porch, loitering around the steps. "I think someone else would like to talk to you before you leave. You want me to stay with you?"

Andy eyed him and shook her head. "It's okay, Mom. It's fine."

"Alright. You two play nice. I'm going to spend a few more minutes with my grandchildren and drive my darling daughter-in-law crazy before you all leave. You know how I enjoy rattling her cage a little."

Andy shook her head. "You two don't fool anyone. You know you like each other. You're too much alike."

"And what does that say about you sweetheart? You grew up and married your mother." Audrey said with an evil glint in her eyes.

Andy frowned as her mother walked away laughing. She shook her head. It was like having two Miranda Priestlys in her life.

Josh came over shaking his head. "You know that's really weird, right?"

"Well, weird is my life, Little bro."

He laughed. "Now that I think about it, I guess you're right." He shuffled from one foot to the other nervously. "You uh… you wanna take a quick walk?"

"Sure."

They walked in silence for a while just taking in their childhood home. Andy glanced at her watch and knew they would need to leave soon.

"So… what's up?" She said kicking a loose rock out in front of them.

Josh shoved his hands into his pockets and sighed. "Andy, I… I don't even know where to start. I feel like I let you down and I feel awful for…for everything."

"You should. You should have known me better than that, Josh. I've always been there for you and when I needed you most, you weren't there. That hurt." Andy said not bothering to soften her words.

Josh swallowed the lump in his throat and took a deep breath. His chest felt so heavy. "I know. I knew something wasn't right with him… his story about why you two didn't talk. It was easier to blame you and Miranda rather than face the truth. I just… I just didn't want to believe that he could…be so cruel."

"I know."

"He wasn't the father I knew. The father I grew up with adored us… especially you. I guess I couldn't separate the two. I wanted to hang on to the way things used to be so I wouldn't have to deal with the reality."

"I can understand that."

"I'm glad you can because I can't." He laughed humorlessly. "I purposely stayed away the last few years." He said after a long silence.

Andy eyed him closely, but remained silent.

"Every assignment that required travel and extended business trips, I volunteered for them. I could see the change in him. It was like I didn't even recognize him anymore."

"So you stayed away too."

Josh dropped his head in shame. Andy shook her head. How had things gotten so mixed up?

"Seeing him acting that way made me question myself. If our father could turn on one of us maybe I would turn on one of my kids one day."

Andy stopped and looked at him for a moment. "That's why you can't commit and why you won't even entertain the thought of having kids, isn't it?"

Josh shrugged his shoulders and they started walking again. "Maybe I'm just not cut out for it."

"You could never do that, Josh. It's just not in you."

"I'm glad you still think so... after I've been such an ass."

Andy sighed. "Josh, you know what this week has taught me?"

He shook his head.

"It's taught me that life is too short to hang on to all the bad stuff. It's painful and I don't want to carry it around anymore. Whatever happened in the past is in the past. I miss my brother. I'd like to have him back… all of him."

He wiped away a tear and nodded. "I'd like that. I'd like that a lot. I've missed my big sister."

"Good because if you haven't noticed, your nephew idolizes you and would love to see you more often."

"I'm looking forward to spending more time with all of them. I'm looking forward to seeing you too... if that's okay." He said hesitantly.

She simply smiled and pulled him close. She held him tight and felt the last bit of heaviness leave her heart. She felt completely free for the first time in a very long time.

"That's good because you could really use my help in the ladies department, Joshie."

He pulled away and scoffed. "What? Now way! I'm great with the ladies."

"Uh… no you're not. You can't keep a girlfriend for more than six months."

"And you're supposed to be the expert with women?"

"Uh… yeah. Have you seen my wife?"

Josh stopped and pursed his lips. "Okay, you have a point there. She is pretty hot."

Andy smacked him on the back of the head.

"Ow! What the hell was that for?" He asked rubbing his head.

"That was for checking out my wife." She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "That was for admitting that she's hot."

Josh was still rubbing his head. "I'm telling Mom! Mom, Andy hit me!"

"Oh don't be such a little wuss, Joshie! It didn't even hurt."

Audrey and Miranda watched them arguing from the front porch. Audrey shook her head and sighed. "I think I liked it better when they were estranged."

Miranda chuckled.

 


	11. Chapter 11

 

**Epilogue: 3 Months Later**

"Here we are guys. I think this is us." Andy said double checking the numbers on their tickets.

Alex immediately flopped down in the inside chair at the end of their row, far away from the women. Josh followed, leaving Andy, Audrey, and Keisha to the outside chairs.

Andy raised a brow at them. Josh shrugged his shoulders and grinned. "Don't worry. You girls can talk clothes and shoes. We guys will be fine on our end."

Andy rolled her eyes at him and punched his arm.

"Hey!"

He went to punch her back only for Andy to smack him in the back of the head first.

"Hey! Mom!"

"Children." Audrey said trying to ignore them.

"I should probably check in with Miranda in case she needs anything." The tall ebony-skinned woman said smoothly.

Andy removed her sunglasses and smiled up at her. She had to admit it; Cassidy really did know how to pick them. Keisha Norwood was almost too stunning to look at. The hazel-eyed beauty was six feet tall with a body of a Greek goddess. Her skin was a flawless sea of coco brown. Everything about the woman screamed super model. Andy was surprised her wife hadn't been able to talk the girl into doing a cover for one of Elias-Clarke's publications. It certainly wasn't for the lack of trying. Apparently, Keisha had repeatedly turned the offers down. Cassidy had proudly boasted that Keisha wanted to one day edit the magazines, not be on the front of them. That in itself earned the girl a little bit more of Miranda's respect.

"Keisha, you're not here as Miranda's executive assistant. You're here as Cassidy's partner. You don't have to work today."

Keisha smiled charmingly and shrugged her shoulders. "I know and thank you for that, but we both know Miranda Priestly's assistant is never off duty. Besides, I think she might be a little nervous about today."

"Cassidy's nervous?" Audrey asked.

Keisha blushed a little and bit her lip. "Umm… no. I actually meant Miranda."

Audrey snorted and shook her head. "That's a first."

"I can't imagine Miranda being nervous about anything." Josh added.

"Miranda's used to being the center of attention. That's not the problem. The problem is speaking in public. Very few people know that she hates giving public speeches."

"Wow. And she agreed to deliver the commencement address?" Josh asked with humor.

Andy nodded. "Yep. They're giving her an honorary degree today as well. Just what the world needs, a Dr. Priestly… as if her ego isn't already big enough."

Audrey snorted and Keisha bit back a grin. "I'm going to go check on her before the ceremony begins."

"Okay, but hurry back. Cassie's department is up first. You don't want to miss her."

"I wouldn't dare. Can I get anyone anything while I'm…"

Andy cut her off with a stern, but playful look. Keisha grinned and nodded before walking away.

Josh watched her go with a dreamy look on his face. "How is it fair that my little niece managed to snag a woman hotter than anyone I've ever dated in my entire life?"

"You're little niece isn't very little anymore and Cassidy isn't just anyone, Joshie. She's a Priestly. They never do anything halfway." Andy said with a knowing smile.

Josh frowned. "I don't even want to know, do I?"

"Probably not."

Audrey simply shook her head and went back to flipping through the program.

"Moms, I have to go to the bathroom." Alex said out of the blue.

Andy rolled her eyes heavenward. She had asked him if he needed to go repeatedly before they took their seats.

"I can take you, big guy. I need to drain the lizard too." Josh said standing.

Andy glared at him. "Josh! Don't say things like that around him. You know he'll just repeat it and Miranda will undoubtedly find a way to blame me for it."

"I know. It's totally cool." Josh laughed as he led his nephew back down the aisle.

Audrey watched her daughter over her glasses for a moment then went back to reading the program. "Things seem to be better between you two."

Andy sighed. "We're getting there. It helps that he's been spending a lot of time in New York. Alex worships him and the girls adore him. He's a complete mush ball with them. It's been nice having him around."

"I'm glad. You two were always so close growing up. It's nice to see you two getting that closeness back."

"Me too."

Across the arena, Keisha was handing Miranda a bottle of water. Unable to get her hands on a cup of coffee, water was the best she could do. Miranda was putting the final touches on her robe. Keisha could tell the woman was nervous. Her hands were shaking slightly and she had worked herself up until she'd developed a tension headache.

"I have some pain killers with me if you need them, Miranda."

Miranda was again pleased with her assistant. She rarely had to request anything. It was as if the young woman could read her mind. Her efficiency often reminded her of another competent assistant from her past.

Miranda took the pills and washed them down with the water.

"Oh, your wife asked me to give this to you." Keisha handed her a small envelope before discretely turning away to give the woman privacy.

Miranda flipped it open and found her wife's signature stationary inside. She quickly read it and smiled. It simply said… 'Knock'em dead Priestly.'

Miranda handed the envelope along with her purse over to Keisha for safe keeping. "I know that technically you're not working at the moment, but I want you to know that I appreciate your assistance today."

Keisha looked her straight in the eye, something she knew Miranda always appreciated. "You're welcome, Miranda."

Miranda nodded and looked out at the sea of graduates and guest. "Hmm… Forgive me if I have been remiss to say this, but my daughter could do much worse than you."

Keisha smiled knowing that was about as close to a glowing compliment as one could ever expect from Miranda Priestly. The woman certainly never stopped surprising her.

 

_-Flashback: 2 Months Ago-_

_Andy made her way downstairs in search of Miranda. After coming up empty in the living room and study, she made her way through the kitchen and found her in the formal dining room. Andy leaned in the doorway and watched Miranda for a few minutes as she was putting the finishing touches on the elaborate table setting._

_"_ _It's been a while since we had dinner in here. I thought Cass said she wanted this to be kind of casual?"_

_Miranda glanced up for a moment before returning to the task at hand. "If it were up to Cassidy, we'd all have a family dinner at the local Pizza Hut."_

_"_ _Hey, I like Pizza Hut."_

_Miranda raised a brow as if to say 'of course you would'._

_Andy laughed and pushed off the doorway and moved into the spacious room. Miranda's eyes raked over her. Andy could see her pursing her lips._

_"_ _I assume you will be changing before dinner."_

_Andy looked down at herself. She was wearing a pair of jeans, a plain button down shirt, and a pair of worn leather loafers. "What's wrong with what I'm wearing now?"_

_"_ _Andrea, our daughter is bringing her girlfriend home to officially meet her parents. You could at least look the part of the loving and concerned mother."_

_"_ _First of all, Keisha already knows me. Secondly, what do I have to be concerned about?"_

_Miranda scoffed. "Laid back to a fault… both of you. She gets that from you, you know?"_

_Andy moved around the table and halted Miranda's movements. She turned the older woman around to face her. "Hey, you're going to work yourself up into a snit and then all of us will pay for it. Now, chill out and talk to me. You've been acting off since Cass called and set this dinner up. What's going on with you? A few weeks ago, you seemed okay with the idea of them being together."_

_"_ _She's young, Andrea. She's only twenty-two years old. Keisha is seven years older and…"_

_"_ _Yeah, and we would be two of the biggest hypocrites in the world if we made assumptions about a couple when it comes to age, don't you think?"_

_Miranda simply pursed her lips._

_Andy slipped her arms around her slender waist and pulled her close. "Let's see. I know you couldn't care less about the fact that she's African-American. Race never crosses your mind when it comes to people. I know you don't care about the fact that she's a woman. You've always encouraged Cass and Carrie to see the person, not the gender. So, what is this really about?"_

_Miranda sighed heavily. "Keisha is extremely talented. She is smart, creative, and ambitious."_

_"And she sounds like a mother's dream."_

_Miranda ignored her. "I also have no doubt that she will be at the helm of RUNWAY or any other publication of her choice very soon."_

_Andy's eyes widened. "What about Emily? I thought she…"_

_"_ _Emily agreed to take the position of Editor-in-Chief of RUNWAY as long as it was temporary. She has expressed an interest in starting her own publication… with Serena's help of course. She made her wishes known to me well over two years ago; just before Keisha came aboard."_

_"_ _I… I had no idea." Andy was stunned. "How do you feel about that?"_

_"_ _Emily wants her legacy to be one of her own making, not continuing mine. I completely understand and respect her decision."_

_"_ _Wow. I always thought Emily would be the new you. So what does all of this mean?"_

_"_ _I have offered to help Emily with her endeavor. She will have the full backing of Elias-Clarke. I have no doubt that she will not disappoint me."_

_Andy snorted. "She'd rather gorge on carbs first."_

_"_ _She and Serena have agreed to wait until their son begins grade school in two years before they begin putting the publication together."_

_Andy smiled as she thought of her little godson, Drew. The couple had named their little boy Andrew after her because Andy had been instrumental in getting them together. Andy was incredibly honored._

_"_ _And when Emily steps down, you plan to put Keisha in that position." Andy stated already knowing the answer._

_"_ _The other board members will have to approve and Keisha will have to accept the position, of course, but yes. That was the plan."_

_Andy started to understand things more clearly. "You've been grooming her from the beginning. Come to think about it, you've never really treated Keisha like a typical assistant. She's always been more like a protégé."_

_Miranda stepped away and moved over to the large window. She looked out over the view of their garden. They stood in silence for a few minutes before Andy spoke again._

_"_ _You're worried that Keisha will have to choose between Cassidy and the magazine. You're afraid she'll choose RUNWAY."_

_"_ _Keisha will be the same age I was when I took the helm. I, too, had to choose. RUNWAY always won out."_

_Andy stepped behind Miranda and slipped her arms around her. She placed a kiss on her shoulder before resting her chin_

_"RUNWAY may have been your mistress all these years, but it didn't always win out. We managed to do alright, didn't we?"_

_"_ _You must have forgotten about the two failed marriages and trail of broken relationships, RUNWAY and I left in our wake."_

_Andy snorted. "No, but I do know that your two ex-husbands were selfish jackasses who simply wanted a trophy wife. I can't speak for these other relationships you speak of. I like to allow myself to think there was no one else but me."_

_Miranda turned in her arms and caressed Andy's cheek. "You are the only one that ever mattered."_

_Andy leaned in and kissed her chastely. "Keisha and Cassidy are Keisha and Cassidy; no one else. Whatever happens will happen because it's what they choose. I know you want to protect Cassidy, but you can't. She is already head-over-heels in love and trying to get her to back off will only make her want to be with Keisha more. Besides, I think Keisha might continue to surprise you. You've kept her incredibly busy and she still managed to not only make a relationship work, but a long distance relationship to boot."_

_Miranda nodded and sighed. She knew her wife had a point. "Are you upset that I didn't tell you?"_

_Andy shrugged her shoulders. "I wish I would have had just a little heads up, but I'm not upset. I've never questioned how you do business. RUNWAY is your domain, Miranda. You know that. Does Keisha know about any of this?"_

_"_ _Of course not. I wanted to see if she would excel on her own, not because of a possible promotion."_

_"_ _And you think she'll be ready by then?"_

_Miranda nodded. "She's ready now. It's just a matter of allowing her believe it herself."_

_The moment was broken by the sound of Andy's cell phone. She fished it out of her back pocket and stepped away to take the call. She saw Cassidy's name flashing on the screen. "Hey sweetie. What's up?"_

_Miranda stood off to the side and listened to the one-sided conversation._

_"_ _Of course, I did… I will… Will you stop worrying?... Is Keisha still picking you up at the airport?... Oh great… We'll see you soon, baby…. Love you too. Bye."_

_"_ _That was Cass. Keisha just picked her up from the airport. They will be here soon. Oh and she asked me to tell you to be nice to Keisha tonight."_

_Miranda rolled her eyes. "I suppose you should go change then. I think that new Stella McCartney number will do nicely."_

_Andy pouted. "Why can't I be comfortable at dinner in my own home?"_

_"_ _If I have to be uncomfortable tonight, so do you." Miranda said pushing a grumbling Andy towards the stairs._

_The dinner, for the most part, went as well as could be expected. Miranda was quiet and reserved, but she wasn't being all… La Priestly to Cassidy's relief. Fortunately, Andy had the ability to make just about anyone feel at ease. She and Keisha had kept the conversation flowing throughout dinner._

_"_ _So where are you originally from, Keisha?" Andy asked over dinner._

_"_ _I'm actually from Washington, D.C. My parents still live there."_

_"_ _Really? You seem like a native New Yorker."_

_Keisha shrugged her shoulders a little. "We had to travel a lot because of my dad's job. We spent a lot of time here in the city."_

_"_ _What do your parents do… if you don't mind me asking?"_

_Keisha grinned at the journalist. Cassidy had warned her about her mother's intense curiosity. "I don't mind at all. My mother is a professor of history. She still teaches at Georgetown University. My dad is a politician."_

_Andy squinted her eyes. It only took a moment for recognition to set in. "Your father is Congressman Wesley Norwood isn't he?"_

_Keisha glanced at Cassidy and they both grinned._

_"_ _I told you she would figure it out. Moms used to cover political events and elections years ago when she started out as a reporter."_

_Keisha nodded sheepishly. She knew this was probably the first time Miranda was hearing this information as well. She had deliberately left her family history out of her applications and contacts when she applied with RUNWAY._

_"_ _Yes, he's my father."_

_Andy nodded with approval. "I had the pleasure of speaking with him a few years back. You should be proud. He's one of the few good guys left on Capitol Hill."_

_"_ _With a pedigree like that, what made you venture into something as frivolous as fashion?" Miranda asked in her quiet voice._

_Everyone froze for a moment. They all knew Miranda didn't believe fashion was frivolous. This was a test of sorts. Keisha daintily wiped her mouth with the napkin before she looked Miranda straight in the eyes._

_"_ _My father always said that each person has a god-given talent and put on this earth for a purpose. Whatever that talent is, one must use it to make a contribution to the world. My mother's talent and purpose is to teach and share knowledge. My father uses his mind and his words to make changes in a world that is sometimes reluctant. My talent lies in vision and creativity. My purpose is to show the world beauty in all its forms. I may not stand before a classroom full of eager students or a group of politicians, but my purpose isn't frivolous by a long shot."_

_Miranda appraised the woman before giving the faintest of nods. Cassidy beamed. She knew her mother was impressed._

_"_ _So… Cass, you ready for graduation? The big day is getting closer." Andy asked changing the subject._

_"_ _God, you have no idea. I am so ready to be back in the city."_

_"_ _I know your brother will be happy. I hope you and Caroline know that he's already prepared an agenda of activities for your first week home." Miranda said._

_Cassidy playfully groaned. "I'll be sure to tell Caroline when I go back. Where is he, by the way? I was sure he'd tackle us when we came through the door."_

_"_ _Your Uncle Josh is in town on business. He took Alex to dinner and a movie." Andy answered._

_"_ _Cool." Cassidy said tossing her napkin on the table. "Well guys, I am officially stuffed. Please thank Louisa for making my favorite and tell her that she still rocks."_

_"_ _And how do you know I didn't prepare this lovely meal for you?" Miranda asked looking affronted._

_Cassidy and Andy looked at each other before bursting into a fit of giggles. Keisha wasn't stupid. She suddenly became very interested in the designs on the delicate tea-cup._

_The laughter and good-natured teasing finally died down and Miranda stood. "Cassidy, help your mother clear the table. Keisha, why don't you join me in the study?"_

_Cassidy was about to object when Keisha placed a hand on the girl's arm. "It's fine."_

_Cassidy watched them leave then turned back to Andy. "Was that a good idea… letting her go in there alone?"_

_"_ _You're mother just wants to talk to her about a few things. You saw her tonight. Keisha can handle it."_

_"_ _I hope you're right."_

_Miranda led Keisha inside her private study and promptly offered her a drink. Keisha refused of course. Miranda leaned back against the desk and gazed at the woman before her._

_"_ _Do I need to ask if your intentions are honorable?"_

_"_ _I believe you do. I would ask if it were my daughter."_

_Miranda almost smirked. "So?"_

_"_ _I love Cassidy. I love everything about her. My intention is to be with her for as long as she'll have me."_

_"_ _She's young."_

_"_ _Which she makes up for in maturity."_

_"_ _Andrea says that makes me a hypocrite… referring to age. I'm suire you are aware that there is quite an age difference between Cassidy's other mother and I."_

_Keisha moved farther into the room. "My father is twelve years older than my mother. She always said that she needed to find an older man because she was much too mature for the men her own age. I assume that was the same for your wife. I can only hope that is the case for Cassidy as well."_

_"_ _Touché." Miranda said with a smirk._

_She pushed off the desk and rounded to the other side. She opened the top drawer and pulled out a file. She walked over and handed it to Keisha._

_"_ _I would like you to know that this plan was put into place long before I was made aware of your relationship with my daughter. You should not think this is a bribe for you to leave her or stay with her. You do, however, need to make a decision as to whether or not this is what you want for yourself as it will affect all aspects of your life."_

_Keisha took a seat on the sofa and started reading through the file. Miranda could tell the exact moment the younger woman understood what she was reading. She had become terribly still. A short while later Keisha finally looked up. Her face was completely unreadable._

_"_ _You think I can do this?"_

_Miranda tilted her head and raised a deadly brow._

_Keisha nodded. "Of course. We wouldn't even be talking about it if you didn't. Sorry."_

_Miranda lazily waved her hand in response._

_"_ _Does Cassidy know?"_

_"_ _No. It is up to you to tell her if you wish."_

_Keisha licked her lips and swallowed. "If it's a choice between Cassidy and this job, I would choose her. You need to know that before we take this conversation any further."_

_Miranda smiled on the inside but remained stoic. "This is quite the opportunity; one that may not come along again."_

_"_ _I'm aware of that… but I don't think someone like Cassidy will come along again either."_

_"_ _Very well. You've made your choice."_

_Keisha took a deep breath and found her center, knowing she'd made the right decision. She knew Miranda Priestly's reputation. One simply did not refuse Miranda without there being consequences._

_"_ _You will simply have to find a balance."_

_Keisha frowned. "Ex… Excuse me?"_

_"_ _Your life, Keisha… you will have to find a balance between work and… other things." Miranda said rolling her eyes. Although Cassidy was a grown woman, she still had a difficult time picturing her daughter as someone's lover. "Do keep up will you? You know how I love repeating myself."_

_Keisha snorted humorlessly. "Finding a balance... that's easier said than done, Miranda. How did you do it?"_

_Miranda couldn't help it. She let out a soft laugh. "Terribly of course and if you tell anyone I said that I will earn my reputation."_

_Cassidy and Andy were hovering on the other side of the door. When they heard the soft laughter coming from inside, they began to worry. They both jumped back and hid around the corner as the door to the study was pulled open. They were stunned to see Miranda with a gentle hand on Keisha's back as they made their way down the hall._

_Cassidy's eyes were wide as saucers when she looked at Andy. "What the fuck was that?"_

_Andy giggled. "Language, Cassidy. Language."_

 

"I've seen the changes in my daughter lately. You've been a good influence in her life."

"Thank you, Miranda. That means a lot coming from you." Keisha said humbly. She cleared her throat and stood back. "If there is nothing else, I should head back to my seat. Cassidy would kill me if I managed to miss her name being called."

Miranda smirked. "She has you on a bit of a short leash doesn't she?"

Keisha laughed at Miranda's rare display of her wicked sense of humor. "She is a Priestly woman. Patience is not her best quality."

Miranda glared at her with a playful twinkle in her eyes. "Cheeky."

Keisha sighed secretly in relief. She was still getting used to this new side of Miranda. Following that dinner two months prior, Miranda began treating Keisha as if she were a colleague rather than an assistant. She was officially Miranda's protégé and everyone knew it. This made Keisha's life a little easier. Although Miranda was still the ever demanding boss that sometimes drove her employees to the brink of insanity, Keisha was privy to the many complicated sides of this miraculous woman; a woman whose gigantic shoes she was destined to fill. Miranda was now her teacher and Keisha was soaking up the wisdom like a sponge.

Keisha sometimes wondered if Miranda was more relaxed around her because of her relationship with Cassidy. Either way, she had decided not to look a gift horse in the mouth. If she had anything to say about it, Miranda Priestly was going to be a fixture in her life for years to come; possibly for the rest of her life judging by the Tiffany ring hidden at the bottom of her sock drawer.

Forty-five minutes later, the ceremony was nearly over. After an intense disagreement with the head of the University, Miranda was allowed to forgo the traditional headdress. The idea of disturbing her iconic silver mane was unacceptable. Once the hair crisis had been averted, Miranda was bestowed her honorary fine arts degree and she gave her address to the graduates. Andy had been immensely proud.

The speech was poignant, yet brief. She spoke about remaining true to one's beliefs and values while in search of success; that ambition could be both a blessing and a curse. One simply had to know the difference. Miranda had even broken one of her own cardinal rules. She spoke about her daughter's in public. Andy could hear the change in the tone of Miranda's voice when she mentioned their names. She knew the older woman was feeling emotional in that moment; she was sure Caroline and Cassidy would notice as well. The Ice Queen had shown a rare display of emotion, in public no less, which was a testament of just how proud Miranda was of them.

The issuing of the degrees took the longest amount of time. Cassidy had already received her degree. Andy had grinned as her brother and son whistled and cheered their hearts out. She was sure Miranda would kill them for their barbaric display.

They were now waiting patiently for Caroline's name to be called. Keisha had been a godsend. She had managed to have a professional photographer ready and waiting to get shots of the girls' as they were given their diploma. It was even more touching because Miranda was allowed to hand the diploma to her daughters personally.

As a few more names were called, she was distracted by her son's constant movement at the end of the row.

"Alex, will you please sit still? It's almost over."

"But I'm bored, Moms." He said slumping in his chair.

"Alexander, this is your sisters' graduation and you will sit here and enjoy it even if it kills you." Andy said giving him the evil eye.

Alex's eyes widened and he immediately sat up. "Geeze Moms, you don't have to break out the death glare." He pulled out his phone and started snapping a few pictures.

Audrey and Josh both looked away and smothered their grins. Keisha kept her eyes straight ahead.

"And what are you two grinning at?"

Josh leaned over and whispered. "That was pretty scary. You've totally turned into Mom."

"And what is so displeasing about that, Joshua?" Audrey asked in an icy tone.

Josh paled and swallowed hard. "Nothing Mom."

Andy simply grinned and awaited her daughter's name.

After the graduation ceremony was over, the entire family went to Tamarine for a celebratory dinner. Miranda ordered the most expensive champagne and toasted her girls' success. Before long, the dinner began to wind down. The girls were in their own world while Miranda and Audrey began a debate over what Andy's new book should be titled. Andy had written Miranda's biography. It was a daunting endeavor that had taken nearly two years to complete. The last few chapters were dedicated to Miranda becoming the first female Chair of the Board of Elias-Clarke Publications. Never being one to say she was at the end of her story, Miranda thought _'The_ _Next Chapter'_ was a fitting title. Audrey, who just loved busting Miranda's chops, insisted that it be titled _'That's all.'_

After a long day of excitement, Alex fell asleep in Keisha's lap during the limo ride back to the hotel. He had developed quite the crush on the beautiful woman. No one could really blame him for that. He was Miranda Priestly's son; of course he had impeccable taste. Keisha helped carry him up to their rooms where Audrey took him to her suite for the night.

Josh said his goodbye in the lobby, meeting up with an old acquaintance that was now living nearby. Andy could tell by the way her brother's eyes lit up at the sight of the attractive blonde that she would be seeing the mystery woman again.

After another round of hugs and kisses, Caroline, Cassidy and Keisha all promised to be ready for their flight home the next morning before leaving to check out a new dance club. Andy was sure they wouldn't be leaving on time.

Following a relaxing shower, Andy walked out of the bathroom and found Miranda already sitting up in bed reading a magazine.

"And then there were two." She said flopping down on the bed face first.

Miranda looked at her and chuckled. "Tired darling?"

Andy mumbled a few words before turning over on her side and gazing up at Miranda. "I don't think tired covers what I'm feeling at the moment. I feel like I need a week of continuous sleep just to feel human again."

"The last few months have been quite stressful for you with finishing the book, the girls' graduation, and other things."

Andy knew Miranda was skirting around mentioning her father. It had been a troubling time for her. She thought saying goodbye at the funeral would bring her the closure she needed, but up until recently she still found herself struggling with the past.

"You don't have to tip-toe around it, babe. I know I haven't been myself for a while." She reached over and took Miranda's hand. "But I think I'm finally okay now."

Miranda raised a brow. "Really?"

Andy nodded. "Yeah. It finally hit me today… as I watched our girls walk across that stage. I realized I have absolutely no regrets… about anything. This is the life I was meant to have and I wouldn't change a single thing about the past because it led me to this moment… with you and our family. I'm sure that I'll never forget how things ended with my father, but… I think I can finally forgive him."

Miranda's eyes softened and Andy was sure she saw a flicker of a tear… or it could have been an effect of the soft lighting.

"You are a rare creäture, Andrea. Not many people could remain so open and loving after going through what you've been through. I feel honored to be loved by you."

Andy graced Miranda with one of her full-blown smiles. Miranda felt her breath catch just as it had for the past fifteen years. "Well lucky for you I plan to keep on loving you for a very long time. If I weren't about to pass out, I'd show you just how lucky you are."

Miranda smirked deviously. "And you're supposed to be the May in this May-December romance. The youth of today have no stamina."

Andy peered up at her through one open eye. "Are you saying I have no stamina lady?"

Miranda sniffed. "Well, I am lying here in new lingerie and you haven't even noticed. I guess we've finally become an old married couple. I suppose we could just sleep the night away… since you're…."

Andy narrowed her eyes in determination before pouncing. "I'll show you stamina, Priestly."

"Promises… Promises." Miranda laughed before Andy quickly shut her up with a scorching kiss.

Hours later, Miranda and Andy fell back on the bed a sweaty mess and both struggling to breathe. Andy turned and grinned. "Any other comments about my stamina?"

Miranda let out a contented sigh before releasing a rare giggle. "No, No. That's all."

**The End.**

 

 


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